There has been a worldwide rise in body weight over the last decades. This change has been attributed to so-called Westernization, including decreased physical activity and increased consumption of high-energy dense nutrition (e.g. fast food). Globally, obesity prevalence grows at an alarming rate and is accompanied by serious co-morbidities, the most important being diabetes, cardiovascular disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). IDF estimates a further increase of the number of people with diabetes from 425 million today to 629 million by 2045. This growth is driven by a rapid increase observed in East Asia. In China, for example, the number of people with diabetes has increased from around 1 percent of the population in 1980 to nearly 11 percent in 2017. This has resulted in a severe and growing burden to the healthcare system, as seen in other countries across Asia. What explains the link between these chronic diseases? Obesity may result in ectopic fat accumulation when the capacity of the adipose tissue to store triglycerides in a safe manner has been exceeded. These changes can ultimately lead to NAFLD, worsening of beta-cell dysfunction, insulin resistance, and contribute to the development of heart failure. Studies have shown that substantial weight loss (lifestyle and/or bariatric surgery) ameliorates many of the adverse consequences of obesity; obviously, bariatric surgery is not the solution to this public health challenge. Public health efforts that have had some success include raising taxes on sugary drinks and promoting physical activity in schools and communities. Lilly as a pharmaceutical company collaborates with national and international scientific organizations to gain a better understanding of the causes and consequences of the obesity epidemic. Our R&D strategy focuses on the development of new generation medicines that contribute to achieving healthy body weight and better clinical long-term outcomes. https://www.diabetesatlas.org/across-the-globe.html