Mexico Launches Strategy to Tackle Overweight, Obesity

Mexico’s Ministry of Health launched the Overweight and Obesity Deceleration Strategy to address rising obesity rates through research, regulation, and prevention. Announced on World Obesity Day, the initiative frames obesity as a complex issue shaped by social, cultural, and economic factors rather than individual choices alone. The strategy integrates nutrition education, food environment regulation, fiscal measures, scientific research, and multisector coordination through 2030 to improve population health and reduce long-term healthcare risks.

Mexico’s Ministry of Health is introducing a national strategy aimed at slowing the growth of overweight and obesity, framing the issue as a structural public health challenge that requires coordinated action across sectors.

The announcement was made by David Kershenobich, Minister of Health, during the commemoration of World Obesity Day. The strategy, titled the “Overweight and Obesity Deceleration Strategy,” proposes a long-term approach that combines scientific research, regulatory measures, and prevention policies to address what authorities described as one of the country’s most pressing health concerns.

“Obesity and overweight affect roughly 75% of the Mexican population, yet obesity is still not consistently treated as a chronic disease. This is a major structural gap, given its more than 200 associated comorbidities,” says Phelippe Philippsen, Country Manager, Eli Lilly to MBN.

Kershenobich emphasizes that overweight and obesity should not be viewed solely as medical conditions but as phenomena shaped by social and cultural dynamics. “This is not only a medical problem; it is cultural, social and anthropological. Obesity is a disease, but it is also a phenomenon of social contagion,” he says.

As part of the initiative, the federal government will conduct a large-scale study involving about 500,000 people living with overweight or obesity. The project aims to identify biological, social, and environmental factors linked to the condition and generate evidence to guide public policy.

According to the Ministry of Health, the study seeks to move beyond treatment-focused approaches and deepen understanding of how diet, lifestyle, and environmental conditions interact. The findings could also support the development of functional foods based on Mexico’s biological diversity and culinary traditions.

The strategy aligns with global efforts to address obesity as a complex health condition influenced by multiple determinants. Daniel Aceves, Director General of Public Health Policies, says that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared obesity a global epidemic in 1997. If current trends continue, he adds, projections suggest that by 2050 as many as 4 billion people worldwide could live with overweight or obesity.

International organizations participating in the announcement highlighted the structural factors behind the rise in obesity rates. Fernando Carrera, Representative, UNICEF, says obesity cannot be attributed solely to individual choices. “Obesity did not emerge from individual decisions but from food systems that have shaped those outcomes,” he adds.

José Moya, Representative in Mexico, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), describes obesity as a chronic and complex disease driven by social, economic, and commercial determinants. He adds that the condition can be prevented and controlled if policies address the systems that produce it. Moya also recognizes Mexico’s role in advancing measures such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and regulations on food advertising aimed at children.

Simón Barquera, President, World Obesity Federation, stresses the need to shift public discourse away from narratives that focus solely on personal responsibility. He warns that public health strategies will remain limited if conflicts of interest are not addressed and called for stronger protections for policy-making processes. Barquera also urges health authorities to strengthen primary care services and promote approaches that reduce stigma associated with obesity.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also highlights the broader nutrition transition the country faces. Lina Pohl, Representative, FAO in Mexico, says the country has made progress in addressing hunger but now faces the growing challenge of overweight and obesity.

The government’s strategy outlines several policy pillars through 2030, including regulation of food environments, nutrition education, promotion of physical activity, fiscal policies targeting unhealthy products, expanded scientific research, and multisectoral coordination among government, academia, industry, and civil society.

For example, last year Mexico announced an increase in its excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as part of a broader effort to reduce chronic disease and strengthen preventive healthcare, reports MBN. The measure, included in the 2026 economic package, raises the levy from MX$1/L (US$0.05/L) introduced in 2014 to MX$3.1/L, with revenue earmarked entirely for health programs.

“Our goal is not to increase costs, but to reduce consumption,” says Eduardo Clark, Deputy Minister of Integration and Development.

This development has prompted some companies to modify their products. For example, PepsiCo and GEPP are undertaking a comprehensive reformulation initiative designed to reduce the caloric content across their beverage portfolio in Mexico. Both entities characterize this as their most significant transformation in over a decade. The initiative underscores their joint dedication to broadening consumer choices with products that align with national health and wellness objectives.

Officials say the objective is not only to reduce obesity prevalence but also to improve long-term population health and support sustainable development. The approach positions obesity prevention as part of a broader effort to improve quality of life and reduce health inequalities.

“The solution is to offer real and sustainable alternatives,” Kershenobich says, reiterating the government’s commitment to evidence-based policies and long-term collaboration.