A broad coalition of organisations and individuals working in obesity prevention and care is calling for a new 10-year obesity roadmap for France, urging strong and collective action to address what they describe as an ongoing obesity pandemic.
The call follows the organisation of the General States of Obesity, a national conference designed to bring together French citizens and key stakeholders from across the country. The organisers believe that tackling obesity requires a shared response, one that goes beyond the health sector alone and creates a real shift in how society understands and responds to the issue.
This initiative comes at a key moment. Several national strategies linked to obesity, nutrition and food policy have recently ended or are nearing completion, including the Roadmap for Obesity Management 2019 to 2022, the National Health Nutrition Program 2019 to 2023, the National Strategy for Food, Nutrition and Climate, and Arcom’s Food Charter 2020 to 2024. At the same time, France reinforced its international role by hosting the Nutrition for Growth summit in Paris on 27 and 28 March 2025.
Those behind the General States of Obesity conference say the timing highlights the need for a renewed long-term vision. While committed to playing an active role, they also stress that meaningful progress requires leadership at the highest level of the State. For this reason, the organisers have formally submitted their proposals to the President of the Republic and requested his High Patronage. Depending on the response, they intend to move forward with the development of a new ten-year obesity roadmap for France.
The conference itself reflected the scale and complexity of the challenge. It brought together a wide range of institutional, public and private actors from health, agriculture, care provision, sport and other sectors. Discussions were structured around five major round tables and took place in the presence of former Director General of Health Grégory Emery and former Minister of Health Yannick Neuder, under the High Patronage of President Emmanuel Macron.
Organisers describe the General States of Obesity as a starting point rather than an endpoint. Their message is clear. France has the expertise, the experience and the collective will to act. What is needed now is a clear, long-term roadmap that matches the scale of the challenge and puts obesity firmly back on the national agenda.
ECPO Patient Council member and President of CNAO has published a full report on The General States of Obesity