Episode 14: Launching World Heart Report 2025
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Prof Mariachiara Di Cesare
Director, Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing, University of Essex
Francisco Lopez-Jimenez
Professor of Medicine and Chair, Division of Preventive Cardiology, Mayo Clinic
In this episode of the Global Heart Podcast, host Pablo Perez speaks with the lead authors of the World Heart Report 2025—Prof. Mariachiara Di Cesare and Prof. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez—about one of the most pressing yet neglected cardiovascular risk factors: obesity. Drawing on extensive research and clinical experience, they examine how obesity contributes to cardiovascular disease (CVD), what makes this report different, and the urgent action needed across clinical and public health systems worldwide.
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Key Takeaways:
The Global Burden of Obesity:
Over 1 billion people globally live with overweight or obesity—four times more than in 1990. By 2050, two in three adults may be affected, with rising rates in low- and middle-income countries and especially among women.
A Neglected Risk Factor for Heart Disease:
Obesity is not just a risk factor but a causal driver of cardiovascular disease. It is linked independently to coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and sudden death—even without other risk factors like diabetes or hypertension.
Clinical Advances and Gaps:
Modern treatment of obesity includes structured lifestyle programmes, weight-loss medications, and bariatric surgery. However, many clinicians lack training, and coverage by health systems remains limited, with patients often paying out of pocket.
Beyond Biology—Social Determinants Matter:
The report stresses the influence of environmental and socioeconomic drivers such as food insecurity, urbanization, and gender-based inequalities. Obesity is not a failure of personal choice—it is shaped by the conditions in which people live.
Global Disparities and Trends:
Regions like Oceania, North Africa, and the Middle East report the highest obesity rates—up to 75% in some populations. Women, rural communities, and lower-income groups are especially affected, with urban-rural gaps closing fast.
Data Challenges in Global Health:
The report uses the best-available global data but emphasizes the need for more granular, disaggregated data (e.g., by education or ethnicity) to support targeted policy interventions.
Call to Action:
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Clinical: Improve recognition, training, and access to multidisciplinary care.
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Public Health: Invest in urban planning, food regulation (e.g. sugar taxes, front-of-pack labeling), and community-level interventions.
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Policy: Treat obesity as a systems issue, addressing the commercial determinants of health and the structural barriers to healthy living.
Stay informed
Read the World Heart Report 2025 and explore more data on obesity and cardiovascular disease at the World Heart Federation.
Stay subscribed to the Global Heart Podcast for the latest in cardiovascular research and global health insights.