Metaverse, token economies, and non-communicable diseases

Rapid advancements in technology and computing power, combined with the convergence of Blockchain, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, extended reality, gamification, and decentralized finance, have led to recent growth in interest in the metaverse. Indeed today, there are more than 160 metaverse projects, and Citi estimates it could be a 13 trillion USD industry by 2030. While many have not yet grasped the relevance of the metaverse for industries, the opportunity to leverage the metaverse for health and wellness is substantial. In obesity and non-communicable disease (NCDs), there is potential to deploy the metaverse using gamification and incentives, as well as for education and care. This perspective article explores how the metaverse could be used to prevent and manage obesity and NCDs.