The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 1.5 billion people worldwide are overweight and among them, 500 million people are obese. This number is forecast to increase up to 700 million by 2015 (out of 2.5 billion people who will beoverweight).

Obesity is spreading like a pandemic, with large proportions of overweight populations in industrialized and developing countries alike. .

The impact this phenomenon can have on health is huge because obesity can significantly increase the onset of many chronic diseases (which, in turn, are responsible for 60% of deaths worldwide) and public spending (in the EU, the direct economic impact of obesity in 2006 totaled €59 billion, but its total economic effect could range between €118 and €136 billion).

What is obesity's impact on society? How can the phenomenon be contained? Who are the leading players in combating obesity?