Child obesity level surpasses underweight cases worldwide for the first time, UNICEF warns

One in 10 children aged 5 to 19 – 188 million worldwide – are now living with obesity, placing them at heightened risk of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, heart conditions, and certain cancers.

“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”, she added.

The report, Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children, draws on data from over 190 countries and highlights a stark shift.

One in five overweight

Since 2000, the number underweight among five to 19-year-olds has dropped from nearly 13 per cent to 9.2 per cent.

In the same period, obesity has tripled, from three per cent to 9.4 per cent. Today, obesity rates exceed underweight in every region except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The situation is particularly acute in the Pacific Islands, where traditional diets have been displaced by cheap, energy-dense imported foods.

High-income countries are not exempt: 27 per cent of children in Chile, and 21 per cent in both the United States and United Arab Emirates, are affected.

Globally, one in five children and adolescents, or 391 million, are overweight, with nearly half now classified as obese.

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.

Marketing to blame

The report points to powerful commercial forces shaping these outcomes. Ultra-processed and fast foods, high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and additives, dominate children’s diets and are aggressively marketed, influencing children’s diets.

In a UNICEF poll of 64,000 young people across 170 countries, 75 per cent reported seeing ads for sugary drinks, snacks, or fast food in the previous week.

Sixty per cent said the ads made them want to eat the products. Even in conflict-affected countries, 68 per cent of young people said they were exposed to these advertisements.

These patterns, UNICEF warns, carry staggering economic consequences. By 2035, the global cost of overweight and obesity levels is projected to exceed $4 trillion annually. In Peru alone, obesity-related health issues could cost over $210 billion across a generation.

Government must act

Still, some governments are taking action. Mexico – where sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods make up 40 per cent of children’s daily calories – has banned their sale in public schools, improving food environments for more than 34 million children.

UNICEF is urging governments worldwide to follow suit with sweeping reforms: mandatory food labelling, marketing restrictions, and taxes on unhealthy products; bans on junk food in schools; stronger social protection programmes; and safeguards to shield policymaking from industry interference.

“In many countries we are seeing the double burden of malnutrition, the existence of stunting and obesity. This requires targeted interventions,” said Ms. Russell.

“Nutritious and affordable food must be available to every child to support their growth and development. We urgently need policies that support parents and caretakers to access nutritious and healthy foods for their children”, she concluded.