Events, From the Editors

World Obesity Day 2026: 8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity

This blog commemorates World Obesity Day 2026 by sharing a selection of Springer Nature journal articles, collections, ISRCTN clinical study registrations and Research Communities blog posts chosen by our publishers.

Tamara May Feb 23, 2026

By 2035, half of the world’s population, around 4 billion people, are expected to be living with overweight or obesity. Poverty, stigma, unequal access to education and healthcare, limited availability of healthy food, and environments that do not support healthy living all shape risk and outcomes across the life course.

World Obesity Day 2026 is a call to action for all 8 billion of us. Together, we can change the story of obesity.

Highlights from Springer Nature journals

Mental Health

Research in this category calls attention to the influence of mental health on obesity and vice versa. A systematic review explores the relationship between obesity phenotypes and mental health issues, suggesting that obesity, especially with metabolic issues, is linked to higher risks of mental health problems and lower quality of life. A prospective cohort study analysed data from 219,086 participants from the UK Biobank and found that obese individuals experiencing moderate to high levels of loneliness had a significantly increased risk of developing mental disorders.Together with a qualitative study showing how link workers can help people with severe mental illness overcome challenges to accessing weight management programs, these papers highlight the link between obesity outcomes and mental health.

Support models and interventions

These papers highlight practical, scalable approaches that can make a meaningful difference to obesity levels in populations. Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes have been implemented in various regions to combat obesity and chronic diseases. A recent study focused on Washington State’s 2009 soft drink syrup tax found that it led to a notable decrease in obesity rates, with reductions of 2.2 to 4.0 percentage points relative to a synthetic control group. Another study assessed the effects of a controlled intervention on the nutritional status and ultra-processed food consumption of children with obesity in Brazil. The results indicated a notable decrease in ultra-processed food intake among participants in the intervention group, underscoring the potential of structured dietary interventions. Collectively, they show the value of implementing interventions aimed at improving health outcomes.

Explore more research articles and books here.

Open collections calling for submissions

School-based Interventions to Prevent Childhood Overweight and Obesity This collection aims to to inform educators, policymakers, and health professionals about evidence-based practices that can be integrated into school curricula and environments to promote healthier lifestyles among students.
Impact of ultra-processed foods on nutritional quality This collection aims to highlight robust research to inform dietary guidelines and public health interventions aimed at improving nutrition and health outcomes.

Collections to read again

You can also revisit a range of past Springer Nature collections that explore key themes in obesity, including food security in high-income nations, medical and surgical treatment of obesity to improve reproductive health, and the effects of modern lifestyle dynamics, nutrition, and industrial compounds on human metabolism.

ISRCTN The UK's Clinical Study Registry

These studies explore innovative approaches designed to reduce obesity levels, from testing whether AI-powered personalised dietary advice is better than a general dietary advice at improving the health and dietary habits of individuals at higher risk of non-communicable diseases (ISRCTN12293803) to exploring what happens when supermarkets voluntarily restrict price promotions on unhealthy foods (ISRCTN23476580). Together, these studies highlight practical, evidence‑informed tools and strategies being developed to better support people living with obesity and to help prevent obesity in the first place by creating healthier food environments and more personalised, sustainable dietary guidance.

Springer Nature Research Communities

This Behind the Paper post outlines a study by Raubenheimer et al. in BMC Global and Public Health which analysed global interest in semaglutide for non-diabetic weight loss, revealing significant search trends from January 2021 to August 2023 across 27 countries, with notable peaks linked to media events.

Conclusion

If you want to get involved in World Obesity Day this year, you can visit the official website for tools and guidance to help you care for yourself every day, not just on WOD.