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Report: Obesity, the most widespread form of malnutrition among children and adolescents globally

2025-09-10 14:46:00, Sociale CNA

Report: Obesity, the most widespread form of malnutrition among children and

Obesity surpassed underweight as the most widespread form of malnutrition this year, affecting 1 in 10, or 188 million, school-age children and adolescents and putting them at risk of life-threatening diseases, UNICEF warned in a new report.

Profiting from Nutrition: How Food Environments Are Failing Children draws on data from over 190 countries and finds that the prevalence of underweight among children aged 5-19 has fallen since 2000, from nearly 13 percent to 9.2 percent, while obesity rates have increased from 3 percent to 9.4 percent. 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 percent of 5- to 19-year-olds in Niue, 37 percent in the Cook Islands and 33 percent in Nauru. These levels - which have 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 percent of young people aged 5 to 19 in Chile live with obesity, 21 percent in the United States and 21 percent in the United Arab Emirates.

"When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children. Obesity is a growing concern that can affect children's health and development. Ultra-processed foods are increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables and protein at a time when nutrition plays a critical role in children's growth, cognitive development and mental health," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

While malnutrition, 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-age 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 obese.

Children are considered overweight when they are significantly heavier than 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 some types of cancer.

The report warns that ultra-processed and fast foods, high in sugar, refined starches, salt, unhealthy fats and additives, are shaping children’s diets through unhealthy food environments, rather than personal choice. These products dominate stores and schools, while digital marketing gives the food and drink industry powerful access to young audiences.

For example, in a global survey of 64,000 young people aged 13-24 from over 170 countries, conducted through UNICEF’s U-Report platform last year, 75 percent of respondents recalled seeing advertisements for sugary drinks, snacks or fast food in the past week, and 60 percent said the advertisements increased their desire to eat these foods. Even in conflict-affected countries, 68 percent of young people said they were exposed to these advertisements.

Without interventions to prevent childhood overweight and obesity, countries could face lifetime health and economic impacts exceeding, for example, US$210 billion in Peru, due to obesity-related health problems. By 2035, the global economic impact of overweight and obesity is expected to exceed US$4 trillion per year.