Obesity and Diabetes in the Developing World - a Growing Challenge  Preventing obesity, diabetes,and hypertension will require fundamental social and political changes. Public health initiatives will be required to make affordable, healthful foods available, and initiatives in education and community planning will be needed to encourage and facilitate exercise. In 2003, the WHO issued objectives for developing countries regarding school meals and healthy living. Some countries  have initiated monitoring programs related to obesity and nutrition. Since these programs are still in their infancy, few data are available on the cost of their implementation, and many such initiatives will encounter fierce opposition from food manufacturers and rights-oriented consumer groups who resent their effects on civil liberties.