Childhood obesity has overtaken underweight as the leading nutritional challenge among school-aged children and adolescents worldwide, a new UNICEF report has revealed.
The report, released Tuesday, shows that one in ten children aged 5 to 19 — about 188 million — are living with obesity, according to World Health Organisation standards. The rate of obesity in this age group has more than tripled, rising from 3% in 2000 to 9.4% in 2022. By comparison, the proportion of underweight children declined from nearly 13% to 9.2% over the same period.
“When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
According to the findings, obesity now exceeds underweight in every region except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The Pacific Islands face the highest prevalence, with nearly 40% of children affected. In both the United Arab Emirates and the United States, rates stand at 21%. In the U.S., some doctors have begun prescribing new weight-loss drugs to teenagers.
Health experts blame the surge on the widespread availability and aggressive marketing of ultra-processed foods high in sugar, salt, and fat. “Obesity is not a failure of parents or children. It’s the result of toxic food environments,” said Chris Van Tulleken, professor of global health at University College London.
UNICEF also highlighted findings from its survey of 64,000 young people in 170 countries, which revealed that 75% had seen adverts for sugary drinks, snacks, or fast food in the past week — including 68% in conflict-affected countries.
Calling the trend a public health wake-up call, UNICEF urged governments to adopt stricter measures, such as banning junk food marketing and removing unhealthy products from schools, to safeguard children’s health.
