Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for various non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers. During the pandemic, obesity increased the risk of severe symptoms, as well as the risk of COVID‑19 related hospitalisation and death (OECD, 2023[1]). Women and men with lower incomes are more likely to be obese, entrenching health inequalities. High consumption of energy‑dense food, trans-fats and saturated fats, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles have contributed to growing global obesity rates. Unfavourable shifts in eating behaviours and physical activity patterns were accentuated by the mobility restrictions during the pandemic, potentially counteracting the gains made by policies promoting healthier lifestyles and accentuating the prevalence of obesity (WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2022[2]).