Obesity has now become more common than being underweight among school-aged children and adolescents worldwide, according to a new report by UNICEF, which cited increasingly unhealthy food environments as the main driver of the shift.
The UN children’s agency based its estimates on data from 2000-2022 compiled by academics across multiple countries. These experts had first predicted in 2017 that a ‘tipping point’ would be reached in the coming years. Using these data, UNICEF projected trends since 2010 to estimate current levels of obesity among children and teens.
‘1 in 10 school-aged children are now obese’
The report found that roughly 1 in 10 school-aged children, about 188 million, now have obesity, according to World Health Organization criteria. This puts them at higher risk for lifelong health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. Obesity rates in this age group have more than tripled over the last two decades, rising from 3 per cent in 2000 to 9.4 per cent. By comparison, underweight prevalence among children aged 5-19 has declined from nearly 13 per cent in 2000 to 9.2 per cent, though UNICEF stressed that undernutrition remains a significant concern.
“When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell told Reuters.
Obesity now exceeds underweight in nearly all regions
The report revealed that obesity now exceeds underweight in nearly all regions of the world, except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Some Pacific Island nations, including Niue and the Cook Islands, are among the worst affected, with nearly 40 per cent of 5-19-year-olds classified as obese. Rates are also high in the United States and the United Arab Emirates, where roughly 21 per cent of children and adolescents are affected. In certain countries, including the US, doctors are increasingly supporting the use of newly developed weight-loss medications for teenagers.
UNICEF attributed the rise in obesity to ultra-processed foods high in sugar, salt, and fat, coupled with widespread marketing of unhealthy products. A poll conducted by UNICEF of 64,000 young people aged 13-24 from 170 countries found that 75 per cent had seen advertisements for sugary drinks, snacks, or fast food in the past week, while even in conflict-affected countries, 68 per cent reported similar exposure.
“Obesity is not a failure of parents or children. It’s the result of toxic food environments,” Chris Van Tulleken, professor of global health at University College London and author of Ultra-Processed People told Reuters.
UNICEF has called for urgent action from governments worldwide, including strict restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods and bans on junk food in schools.