Childhood obesity has reached alarming levels globally, with a new UNICEF report revealing that one in every ten children worldwide about 188 million is living with obesity, surpassing underweight as the most common form of malnutrition for the first time in history.
The report, titled “Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children”, highlights a major shift in global nutrition trends. It shows that since the year 2000, obesity among children aged five to nineteen has tripled from 3% to over 9%, while cases of underweight have declined from nearly 13% to just above 9%.
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UNICEF attributes this surge to the widespread availability and aggressive marketing of ultra-processed foods, which have increasingly replaced healthier options like fruits, vegetables, and proteins in children’s diets.
The report warns that these eating habits are exposing millions of children to life-threatening illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and other non-communicable conditions.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stressed that malnutrition can no longer be viewed solely through the lens of underweight children. “We must recognize that obesity is now a major global health challenge affecting children’s growth, learning, and overall development,” she said.
The study further notes that obesity rates have overtaken underweight levels in almost all regions of the world except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. However, many countries are now battling what UNICEF describes as a “double burden of malnutrition” struggling with both childhood stunting and obesity at the same time.
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To address the crisis, UNICEF is calling on governments to implement urgent policies that make nutritious and affordable foods accessible to every child. The agency urges stronger regulation of unhealthy food marketing, improved school nutrition programs, and community-based interventions to promote healthier lifestyles.
