More children are obese than underweight, says Unicef

"For the first time, there are more children in the world who are obese than underweight, according to a major study by children's charity Unicef. Around one in 10 of those aged between five and 19 years old - around 188 million children and young people - are now thought to be affected by obesity. Researchers blame a shift from traditional diets to ones heavily reliant on ultra-processed foods that are relatively cheap and high in calories."

"Unicef, an agency of the United Nations, is urging governments to protect children's diets from unhealthy ingredients and stop the ultra-processed food industry from interfering in policy decisions. When health experts used to refer to malnourished children, that was often read as those who were underweight. Not any more that term now also refers to the impact of obesity on the health and development of children."

Global numbers of obese children now exceed those who are underweight, with about 188 million aged 5–19 affected. Shifts from traditional diets toward cheap, high-calorie ultra-processed foods are blamed for rising obesity. Obesity increases lifelong risks of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Good childhood nutrition, including fruits, vegetables, and protein, supports growth, cognitive development, and mental health. Unicef urges governments to protect children's diets from unhealthy ingredients and to prevent ultra-processed food industry interference in policy. Undernutrition, manifesting as wasting and stunting, remains a significant problem in under-fives in many low- and middle-income countries.

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