Information: an essential tool in the fight against obesity

By 2030, 50% of the world’s population could be obese. To counter this trend, education and information remain the simplest and most obvious way to raise awareness among children and adults regarding a healthier diet and lifestyle. While BNP Paribas Cardif’s obesity prevention programme works with partner associations in more than 13 countries, other initiatives also shed light on the problem, and its potential solutions.

Apps: a useful tool in the digital age

In an era where digital and social networks are at the forefront of sometimes harmful trends around the body and diet, this influence can also be seen as a positive tool to promote healthier behaviors. Several recent studies prove the usefulness of an app in monitoring weight loss or diet, although the conclusions underline the importance of medical and educational support in parallel. Other studies highlight the fact that the prevalence of content around weight and diet on networks such as TikTok could be put to good use by creating dedicated content, carried by experts.

Among the partners of the BNP Paribas Cardif project, Stiftung Kindergesundheit offers e-learning tools adapted to a family audience, with TouTube videos and a fun interface.

Individual initiatives

In a context where obesity directly affects more and more families, the experiences of individuals who have been confronted with being overweight also manifest themselves as a powerful vector for information. At the beginning of the summer of 2026, the Frenchman Mickaël Hardoin Duparc undertook a tour of Europe on a three-wheeled bike to highlight the effects of junk food and obesity. This crusade is a social and personal challenge: at the beginning of the journey, he weighed 182 kilos, and aims to lose 132 kilos during his eighteen-month journey.

The BNP Paribas Cardif programme around the world

Launched in 2021, the programme is committed to initiatives at a local level, working in close proximity with those concerned. This action often focuses on children or adolescents, who can then influence the rest of their families.

In 2025, more than 3 million people were reached directly or indirectly by the program, via its various partners in the field, including APCOI, a Portuguese association, the latest to join the ranks of the project. From La Tablée des Chefs in France, the Gasol foundation in Spain, or Stiftung Kindergesundheit in Germany and Austria, our partners focus on education and practical advice around a balanced diet, the importance of physical and mental well-being through sport, sleep, etc.

The My Food My Future platform puts forward clear and simple information, validated by recognised scientific referents in each country. The site is available in seven languages in order to be accessible to the greatest possible number.

Whether they are global, associative, virtual or individual approaches, these commitments complement and strengthen public health initiatives, by providing an engaged and appropriate response to the challenges of healthy eating.