Turning point: there are more obese than undernourished children in the world

Globally, one in five young people aged 5 to 19 – some 391 million children – are now overweight, and a growing number of them are obese. Since 2000, the proportion of underweight children has fallen from 13 percent to 9.2 percent, while the proportion of obese children has increased from 3 percent to 9.4 percent.

Obesity rates are particularly high in Pacific island countries: in Niue, 38 percent of 5-19 year-olds are obese, in the Cook Islands 37 percent and in Nauru 33 percent – ​​these rates have doubled in two decades. Among developed countries, the United States is also the highest, at around 21 percent.

According to UNICEF, the main reason for the rise in obesity is the rise of unhealthy foods: sugary, salty, fatty, ultra-processed products are crowding out fruits, vegetables and proteins from children’s diets. Digital marketing also directly targets young people, while the offerings in schools and stores are often based on these foods.

The organization warns that if there are no interventions, obesity can have serious long-term health consequences – such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer – and impose a huge economic burden on countries. It is estimated that by 2035 the annual global cost of obesity and overweight could exceed 4 trillion dollars.

UNICEF’s recommendations include restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods, banning their distribution in schools, strengthening social protection programs, and introducing policies that help families access healthy food.