Economics of Obesity Metabolic Health Summit | June 10th 2026

The condition already places immense strain on overburdened health systems. And the global cost of obesity and metabolic disorders, including direct healthcare costs and the impact of lost productivity and premature death, is projected to exceed $4trn annually by 2035.

The last decade has seen transformations in obesity and metabolic health management including GLP-1 medications, surgical breakthroughs and innovative weight-management clinics. Digital platforms and artificial intelligence are also reshaping care delivery. How can governments and health leaders afford to prevent and manage obesity at scale? They can’t afford not to. Spending to reduce obesity is an investment in a healthier population and workforce. Reducing obesity rates will also benefit other areas of health including diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

The Economics of Obesity and Metabolic Health Summit brings together policymakers, public-health experts, clinicians, advocacy groups, people living with obesity and metabolic disorders, scientists, pharmaceutical executives, weight-management and lifestyle support providers, technology developers and investors to discuss the economics of obesity and how to improve global health.

Natasha Loder is The Economist’s health editor, covering a wide range of topics in medicine, technology, pharma and science. Between 2011 and 2014 she worked as a foreign correspondent in Chicago, covering the Midwest, the bankruptcy of Detroit, education and agriculture. She has worked at The Economist since 2000, spending over a decade on the science desk, covering a wide range of subjects–including the rise of the private space industry and the carbon cowboys of Papua New Guinea. Prior to joining The Economist she worked at Nature, The Times Higher Education Supplement, and Research Fortnight. She has won many awards for her work in news, features and opinion and audio.