Obesity has become one of the most pressing public health challenges of the 21st century. Once considered primarily a concern in high-income countries, obesity now affects people across all regions, including low- and middle-income countries, placing increasing pressure on health systems and contributing to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Addressing obesity requires more than individual behaviour change. It demands stronger health systems, supportive public policies, equitable access to prevention and treatment services, and meaningful engagement with people living with obesity.
To better understand these challenges and identify solutions, the World Obesity Federation has launched MAPPS II (Mapping the Patient Journey Towards Better Obesity Care)—a global initiative aimed at generating evidence to strengthen obesity prevention, treatment, and care worldwide.
What is MAPPS II?
MAPPS II is a global project running from 2025 to 2027 that builds upon the success of the original MAPPS study. While MAPPS I identified significant gaps in obesity services across health systems, MAPPS II seeks to provide updated global and country-level evidence on:
- Health system capacity for obesity prevention and management
- National obesity policies and governance
- Access to obesity care and treatment services
- Inequities in prevention and care pathways
- Perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including people living with obesity
The project brings together healthcare professionals, policymakers, public health experts, civil society organisations, researchers, advocates, caregivers, and individuals with lived experience of obesity to better understand the current landscape and inform future action.
Why does this matter?
Obesity is a complex, chronic disease influenced by biological, environmental, social, economic, and commercial determinants of health. Despite its growing prevalence, many countries continue to face challenges such as:
- Limited access to evidence-based obesity care
- Inadequate policy implementation
- Stigma and discrimination
- Weak integration of obesity services within primary healthcare
- Insufficient investment in prevention
The evidence generated through MAPPS II will support governments, health systems, and stakeholders in developing more effective, equitable, and person-centred obesity strategies.
Who can participate?
The MAPPS II surveys are currently open for several stakeholder groups:
Public Health Experts, Policymakers, Advocacy Organisations and Civil Society
This survey welcomes participation from:
- Public health professionals
- Government officials
- Policymakers
- Researchers
- Non-governmental organisations
- Civil society organisations
- Advocacy groups
Survey closes: 31 July 2026
People with Lived Experience of Obesity and Caregivers
Individuals living with obesity and those caring for them are invited to share their experiences to help improve obesity care worldwide.
The survey is available in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Arabic, French, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, Malay, and IsiZulu.
Survey closes: 31 July 2026
Healthcare Professionals
The main healthcare professional survey has now closed globally. However, targeted data collection remains open in selected countries, including Saudi Arabia, Fiji, Tonga, and Kiribati, where additional responses are being sought.
Why participation from Nepal matters
Like many countries undergoing rapid urbanisation and lifestyle transitions, Nepal is experiencing a rising burden of overweight and obesity alongside persistent undernutrition—a phenomenon often referred to as the double burden of malnutrition.
Generating evidence from diverse country contexts is essential to ensuring that global recommendations reflect local realities. Participation from Nepal’s public health professionals, researchers, policymakers, civil society organisations, and people with lived experience can help ensure that the country’s perspectives contribute to international discussions on obesity prevention and care.
The findings from MAPPS II will support policy dialogue, strengthen advocacy efforts, and contribute to more responsive and equitable health systems globally.
How to Participate
If you are a public health professional, policymaker, researcher, advocate, member of a civil society organisation, or someone with lived experience of obesity, you are encouraged to take part in the MAPPS II surveys before 31 July 2026.
Your participation will contribute valuable evidence that can help shape stronger policies, improve health services, reduce inequities, and advance person-centred obesity prevention and care around the world.
Every voice matters. By sharing your experiences and perspectives, you can help build healthier, more equitable health systems for future generations.
Call for response
Nepal currently has no responses from public health and policy experts, researchers, advocacy groups and civil society actors. We would greatly appreciate your support to change this and ensure Nepal is well represented in upcoming publications, which will be useful for national-level advocacy and conversations on World Obesity Day and ahead of the High-Level Meeting on UHC in September 2027.
We would be grateful if you could do two quick things:
1. Take the short survey for public health and policy experts, civil society, advocacy organisations, and researchers, or share with relevant members of your organisation
It’s quick, completely anonymous, and available in multiple languages: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3YMNSHW
2. Share it with your network
We would greatly appreciate it if you could share the survey with colleagues, professional networks, and relevant organisations in your country to help ensure that a broad range of perspectives are represented.
We have created a MAPPS II Toolkit which has graphics and messages for social media, your newsletters and WhatsApp: https://www.worldobesity.org/what-we-do/projects/mapps/mapps-toolkit
World Obesity Federation
