For the first time, the number of obese children worldwide has exceeded the number of underweight school children and adolescents worldwide, according to a new UNICEF report.
One in 10 children still lives with obesity, and the main culprit is the rise of ultra-processed foods.
Obesity surpassed underweight as the more prevalent form of malnutrition this year, affecting 1 in 10, or 188 million, school-aged children and adolescents, and placing them at risk of life-threatening disease, UNICEF warned.
The report draws data from over 190 countries and finds the prevalence of underweight among children aged 5-19 has declined since 2000, from nearly 13% to 9.2%, while obesity rates have increased from 3% to 9.4%.
Obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions of the world, except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
According to the findings, several Pacific Island countries have the highest prevalence of obesity globally, including 38% of 5 to 19-year-olds in Niue, 37% in Cook Islands, and 33% in Nauru.
These levels, which have all doubled since 2000, are largely driven by a shift from traditional diets to cheap, energy-dense, imported foods.
Meanwhile, many high-income countries continue to have high levels of obesity. For example, 27% of 5 to 19-year-olds in Chile are living with obesity, 21% in the United States, and 21% in the United Arab Emirates.
“When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Obesity is a growing concern that can impact the health and development of children. Ultra-processed food is increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables and protein at a time when nutrition plays a critical role in children’s growth, cognitive development and mental health.”
While undernutrition – such as wasting and stunting – remains a significant concern among children under 5 in most low- and middle-income countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing among school-aged children and adolescents.
According to the latest available data, 1 in 5 children and adolescents aged 5-19 globally, or 391 million, are overweight, with a large proportion of them now classified as living with obesity.
Children are considered overweight when they are significantly heavier than what is healthy for their age, sex and height.
Obesity is a severe form of overweight and leads to a higher risk of developing insulin resistance and high blood pressure, as well as life-threatening diseases later in life, including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.
The report warns that ultra-processed and fast foods – high in sugar, refined starch, salt, unhealthy fats and additives – are shaping children’s diets through unhealthy food environments, rather than personal choice.
These products dominate shops and schools, while digital marketing gives the food and beverage industry powerful access to young audiences.
In a global poll of 64,000 young people aged 13-24 from over 170 countries conducted through UNICEF’s U-Report platform last year, 75% of respondents recalled seeing advertisements for sugary drinks, snacks, or fast foods in the previous week, and 60% said the advertisements increased their desire to eat the foods.
Even in conflict-affected countries, 68% of young people said they were exposed to these advertisements.
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