Global hälsostyrning och WHO:s roll i nationell fetmaprevention: En komparativ fallstudie av Sverige och Nya Zeelands folkhälsoarbete
(2026) STVK04 20252Department of Political Science
- Abstract
- This study examines how the World Health Organization (WHO) influences national obesity prevention guidelines through a comparative analysis of Sweden and New Zealand. As obesity affects over one billion people globally, WHO's role in global health governance has become increasingly significant, despite relying on non-binding soft law mechanisms rather than enforceable regulations. Using qualitative document analysis, this research investigates how WHO's recommendations, based on the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (2004) and the Global Action Plan for NCDs (2013-2030), are reflected in national guideline documents. The analysis uses WHO's six objective statements as an analytical framework to systematically assess... (More)
- This study examines how the World Health Organization (WHO) influences national obesity prevention guidelines through a comparative analysis of Sweden and New Zealand. As obesity affects over one billion people globally, WHO's role in global health governance has become increasingly significant, despite relying on non-binding soft law mechanisms rather than enforceable regulations. Using qualitative document analysis, this research investigates how WHO's recommendations, based on the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (2004) and the Global Action Plan for NCDs (2013-2030), are reflected in national guideline documents. The analysis uses WHO's six objective statements as an analytical framework to systematically assess visibility across three key areas: physical activity, obesity prevention strategies, and food environment. Both countries, selected as high-income democracies with similar institutional capacities but differing obesity prevalence rates, demonstrate adherence to WHO's recommendations with notable implementation variations. Sweden's Public Health Agency consistently and explicitly references WHO guidelines, maintains current evidence-based recommendations, and emphasizes cross-sectoral collaboration. New Zealand's Ministry of Health similarly grounds its guidelines on WHO frameworks but shows limitations in updating recommendations. Findings reveal that while WHO's normative authority shapes national obesity prevention policies in both countries, effectiveness depends on national contexts including resource allocation and institutional capacity for guideline development. The study contributes to understanding global health governance in practice, illuminating challenges of implementing international health recommendations through voluntary compliance mechanisms in long-term, cross-sectoral public health interventions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9216835
- author
- Stridh, Clara LU and Johansson, Linn LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- STVK04 20252
- year
- 2026
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- World Health Organization, WHO, global health governance, obesity prevention, guideline implementation, soft law, non-communicable diseases
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9216835
- date added to LUP
- 2026-01-26 11:53:12
- date last changed
- 2026-01-26 11:53:12
@misc{9216835,
abstract = {{This study examines how the World Health Organization (WHO) influences national obesity prevention guidelines through a comparative analysis of Sweden and New Zealand. As obesity affects over one billion people globally, WHO's role in global health governance has become increasingly significant, despite relying on non-binding soft law mechanisms rather than enforceable regulations. Using qualitative document analysis, this research investigates how WHO's recommendations, based on the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (2004) and the Global Action Plan for NCDs (2013-2030), are reflected in national guideline documents. The analysis uses WHO's six objective statements as an analytical framework to systematically assess visibility across three key areas: physical activity, obesity prevention strategies, and food environment. Both countries, selected as high-income democracies with similar institutional capacities but differing obesity prevalence rates, demonstrate adherence to WHO's recommendations with notable implementation variations. Sweden's Public Health Agency consistently and explicitly references WHO guidelines, maintains current evidence-based recommendations, and emphasizes cross-sectoral collaboration. New Zealand's Ministry of Health similarly grounds its guidelines on WHO frameworks but shows limitations in updating recommendations. Findings reveal that while WHO's normative authority shapes national obesity prevention policies in both countries, effectiveness depends on national contexts including resource allocation and institutional capacity for guideline development. The study contributes to understanding global health governance in practice, illuminating challenges of implementing international health recommendations through voluntary compliance mechanisms in long-term, cross-sectoral public health interventions.}},
author = {{Stridh, Clara and Johansson, Linn}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Global hälsostyrning och WHO:s roll i nationell fetmaprevention: En komparativ fallstudie av Sverige och Nya Zeelands folkhälsoarbete}},
year = {{2026}},
}