Childhood obesity now exceeds undernutrition in children and adolescents, warns UNICEF

While the fight to reduce global hunger is partially bearing fruit, the prevalence of underweight among children and adolescents is on a downward slope, falling from 13 to 10% between 2000 and 2022 among 5- to 19-year-olds, according to data collected from 190 countries. But over the same period, overweight has skyrocketed, with the number of 5- to 19-year-olds affected doubling between 2000 and 2022 (194 to 391 million). And the increase is even more marked for obesity, a more serious form of overweight associated with metabolic disorders such as diabetes and certain cancers, and sometimes accompanied by low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Thus, in 2022, 8% of 5- to 19-year-olds worldwide (163 million) suffered from obesity, compared to 3% in 2000.

Based on the two opposing trends, UNICEF estimates that "2025 marks a historic turning point": "For the first time, the global prevalence of obesity in school-aged children and adolescents exceeds that of underweight (9.4% versus 9.2%)." Thus, 188 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 are living with this chronic disease, according to these projections. The primary culprit: a toxic environment created by the ultra-processed food industry and its "unethical business practices" designed to make profits, UNICEF blames.

Children are "bombarded by unhealthy food marketing," including at school, where they are exposed to ultra-sweet drinks and ultra-processed snacks that are low in nutrients, explains Katherine Shats, one of the report's authors. These products are often cheaper than the fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, and proteins that they are gradually replacing in families' diets. But UNICEF insists: the fault lies neither with children nor their families, but with a "failure of society." The agency also rejects the "myth" surrounding exercise: it is "impossible to escape the health consequences" of junk food "through physical activity alone."

Historically, the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents was higher in developed countries. It remains high, for example, in Chile (27% of 5-19 year-olds) and the United States (21%). But since 2000, the gap between rich and poor countries has narrowed, with obesity rates soaring in some Pacific islands where imports are replacing traditional products, such as Niue (38%), the Cook Islands (37%), and Nauru (33%). And for some countries, it's a double whammy, with the coexistence of undernutrition and obesity.