What World Obesity Federation does

World Obesity Federation (WOF) is a London-based non-profit organization founded in 1986 that operates as a global membership body for national and regional obesity associations, with 80+ member organizations spanning more than 100 countries. Its mission is to reduce, prevent, and treat obesity through professional education, data monitoring, policy advocacy, and research, anchored by three flagship assets: the SCOPE (Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education) e-learning and certification platform, the Global Obesity Observatory (a 20+ year longitudinal database of obesity prevalence), and the biennial International Congress on Obesity (ICO).

The federation's core technology and product portfolio is built around SCOPE, which delivers 40+ CME/EACCME/CPD-accredited modules in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, plus a certification pathway (renewing at £40 annually), SCOPE Schools for in-person training, and a SCOPE Fellowship. Supporting products include the Global Obesity Observatory, the annual World Obesity Atlas, four peer-reviewed journals (Obesity Reviews, Pediatric Obesity, Clinical Obesity, Obesity Science & Practice), policy dossiers on topics ranging from sugar taxes to weight stigma, the MAPPS II survey initiative, the Healthy Voices patient platform, and the 2019 Lancet Commission report on the Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition and Climate Change.

WOF is a registered charity (number 1076981) and company limited by guarantee in England and Wales. Its revenue is assembled from membership fees, SCOPE certification renewals, ICO and SCOPE School registration fees, journal subscription and licensing, and a diversified base of grants from the EU Health Programme, The Health Foundation, and educational grants from Eli Lilly Ltd and Novo Nordisk A/S. The organization maintains a formal working relationship with WHO and operates on a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model, with the CEO being Johanna Ralston and small staff (11-50 employees) based in London.

Name

World Obesity Federation

Legal name

World Obesity Federation

Website

https://worldobesity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

World Obesity Federation is a London-based non-profit membership organization, founded in 1986, that operates SCOPE professional education, the Global Obesity Observatory, and the International Congress on Obesity to prevent and treat obesity globally, serving 80+ member associations across 100+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Obesity Medicine & Weight Management (HLAKADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Weight Management & Behavior Change Education (EDAAAHAF)

Keywords

• Obesity professional education
• Global health advocacy
• Obesity research data
• Health policy advocacy
• Obesity prevention training

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The organization operates as a membership organization with national and regional associations as members. Membership fees support operations and provide access to SCOPE training, resources, and networking.
2. SCOPE Training and Certification: Revenue from SCOPE certification (£40 annual renewal fee) and potentially from training programs. Most e-learning modules are free due to funding support, but certification generates revenue.
3. Event Registration: Revenue from International Congress on Obesity (ICO) registrations and SCOPE School attendance fees.
4. Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from Health Foundation for COHD project and EU Health Programme grants for various research projects (STOP, CO-CREATE). Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk provide educational grants for SCOPE.
5. Journal Publications: Publishing four scientific peer-reviewed journals: Obesity Reviews, Pediatric Obesity, Clinical Obesity, and Obesity Science & Practice.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

World Obesity Federation is a global non-profit membership organization that delivers SCOPE professional education (CME-accredited e-learning and certification) for healthcare professionals, operates the Global Obesity Observatory data platform, publishes peer-reviewed scientific journals and policy dossiers, and runs advocacy and events (International Congress on Obesity, World Obesity Day) aimed at preventing and treating obesity worldwide.

Product overview

World Obesity Federation operates a portfolio of interconnected products and services centered on obesity prevention, professional education, data research, and policy advocacy. The core offerings include SCOPE (Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education) - an internationally recognized e-learning and certification platform for healthcare professionals; the Global Obesity Observatory - a 20-year database of global obesity data; MAPPS II - a survey initiative for healthcare professionals and patients; the World Obesity Atlas - annual research publications; and the International Congress on Obesity (ICO) as the flagship event. Supporting resources include Policy Dossiers, peer-reviewed Journals (Obesity Reviews, Pediatric Obesity, Clinical Obesity, Obesity Science & Practice), an Image Bank, and the Healthy Voices patient advocacy platform. The organization also leads the Lancet Commission on Obesity and utilizes the ROOTS framework for policy work. The portfolio functions as an integrated ecosystem where education, data, advocacy, and research support World Obesity's mission to reduce and prevent obesity globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SCOPE: Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education - the organization provides the only internationally recognized course on obesity management through e-learning modules, certification, and SCOPE Schools.

Products and services

• SCOPE (Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education) CME/CPD-accredited e-learning platform, certification programme, in-person SCOPE Schools and SCOPE Fellowship providing the only internationally recognised qualification in obesity management, aimed at physicians, dietitians, nurses and allied health professionals.
• Global Obesity Observatory Online database of global obesity prevalence, trends and projections spanning 20+ years and covering 100+ countries, providing downloadable statistics, maps and country-level indicators for researchers and policymakers.
• World Obesity Atlas Annual research report providing country-level data, prevalence forecasts, childhood obesity statistics and obesity-related health indicators for use by policymakers, researchers and advocates.
• International Congress on Obesity (ICO) Paid registration biennial international congress bringing together obesity researchers, clinicians and policymakers for scientific exchange and policy discussion.
• World Obesity Journals Four peer-reviewed scientific journals in obesity research, generating licensing and royalty income for World Obesity Federation.
• Policy Dossiers Evidence-based policy resources on sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, digital marketing, school-based and community interventions, childhood obesity treatment, front-of-pack labelling, weight stigma and related topics for use by governments and advocates.
• Healthy Voices Patient-facing platform offering factsheets, policy briefs, videos and storytelling tools to support people living with obesity and to inform advocacy work.
• MAPPS II (Management & Advocacy for Providers, Patients and Systems) Survey-based research initiative collecting insights from healthcare professionals, people with lived experience of obesity and policymakers to improve obesity care and prevention systems.
• Lancet Commission on Obesity Joint research commission with The Lancet, University of Auckland and George Washington University that has produced influential reports including 'The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition and Climate Change' (2019) and 'Reinventing the Food System'.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ CME accredited modules available in 4 languages
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Lead coordinator for the COHD project studying economic and social value of health in childhood obesity. Professor Franco Sassi serves as the main contact. The project runs from January 2018 to December 2021.
• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in the COHD project on childhood obesity and human capital development.
• University of AucklandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner in the Lancet Commission on Obesity. Professor Boyd Swinburn serves as co-chair. University leads research on population nutrition and global health.
• George Washington UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner in the Lancet Commission on Obesity. Professor Bill Dietz serves as co-chair. The Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness is involved.
• The LancetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner in the Lancet Commission on Obesity. Published groundbreaking report 'The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition and Climate Change' in January 2019.
• INFORMAS NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network co-founded by World Obesity to monitor and benchmark food environments internationally. Based at University of Auckland.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal working relationship. Advising WHO and its regional offices on nutrition, obesity and NCD prevention policies. Co-chair of WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity involvement.
• World BanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeera Shekar, Global Lead for Nutrition at World Bank, serves on Lancet Commission. World Bank involved in positioning nutrition within global financing mechanisms.
• World Cancer Research Fund InternationalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CO-CREATE project producing policy briefs on childhood obesity across Europe.
• European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Reinventing the Food System report launch, addressing obesity, undernutrition and climate change.
• iPES FoodsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Reinventing the Food System report launch on food policy agenda.
• Sciensano (Belgian Institute for Health)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Reinventing the Food System report launch.
• International Diabetes FederationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted SCOPE School Global 2021 on Obesity & Diabetes, bringing together obesity and diabetes expertise.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• The Obesity Society (TOS): TOS is the leading US-based professional society for obesity research and treatment, publishing Obesity and hosting ObesityWeek. It directly mirrors World Obesity's professional education, journal publishing, and advocacy model in the largest single national market, competing for the same clinicians and researchers.
• European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO): EASO is the European regional counterpart focused on obesity research, policy, and clinical education, including its own European Congress on Obesity (ECO). It directly competes for European healthcare professional memberships, policy advocacy influence, and CME-accredited training.
• International Diabetes Federation (IDF): IDF is a global federation of national diabetes associations with a closely analogous structure (membership-based, journals, congress, professional education). World Obesity and IDF have co-hosted SCOPE Schools on obesity-diabetes, reflecting overlapping clinical training and policy mandates.
• Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN): GAIN is a global NGO working on malnutrition and nutrition policy with corporate and government partnerships. It overlaps with World Obesity on food systems, nutrition labelling, and policy advocacy, often co-authoring or co-endorsing nutrition policy outputs.
• World Cancer Research Fund International: WCRF International is a health policy NGO focused on diet, nutrition, and cancer prevention. It is a confirmed World Obesity partner on CO-CREATE and shares overlapping food systems policy work and member-style organizational structure.
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: The Academy is the largest US professional nutrition organization, offering credentialing, publications, and continuing education analogous to SCOPE. It overlaps with World Obesity on dietetic professional education and weight management training content.

Broad incumbents

• World Health Organization (WHO): WHO is the leading global public health body with which World Obesity maintains a formal working relationship and co-chairs commission work. While WHO sets policy globally, the federation functions as the obesity-specific expert body feeding evidence, training, and advocacy into WHO programs.
• NCD Alliance: NCD Alliance is the leading global civil society network addressing non-communicable diseases including obesity. It overlaps heavily with World Obesity's policy advocacy and WHO engagement work and is a frequent coalition partner.

Emerging players

• American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS): ASMBS is the leading US society for bariatric and metabolic surgery professionals with its own journal (Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases) and fellowship programs. It overlaps with World Obesity on the surgical treatment dimension of obesity management and clinician training.
• Resolve to Save Lives: Resolve to Save Lives is a global health NGO working on cardiovascular disease and epidemic prevention with policy advocacy and grant funding models similar to World Obesity's EU and foundation-funded projects, often engaging the same WHO and government channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=9m8DyMDP8vQ
• Xx.com/WorldObesity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/worldobesity

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Obesity Federation