Recent years have seen increasing acceptance globally that we require a range of obesity prevention policies to be implemented across a number of settings and sectors in order to halt the growing obesity burden. This acceptance recognises the fact that there is a complex interaction between the many factors that influence an individual’s dietary intake and physical activity levels. I will review recent progress in the implementation of recommended national, state and local government policies for population obesity prevention. I will argue that to optimise population obesity prevention effectiveness requires a more explicit understanding of the different actors and policies, and how they may interact at the level of the population and the individual. I will also argue that we need a greater understanding of the equity impact of these policies. A priority moving forward should be better recording and communication of existing activities in order to more rapidly spread the uptake of the most effective and equitable policies globally and at scale.