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Obesity has overtaken underweight as the more prevalent form of malnutrition, putting children at risk of diseases, according to a recent UNICEF global report. It reveals that high-income countries have some of the highest rates of overweight and obese children in the world. Children are considered overweight when they are significantly heavier than what is healthy for their age, sex and height. 

In the report, Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children, UNICEF finds from the data across more than 90 countries the prevalence of underweight among children aged 5-19 has declined since 2000, from nearly 13% to 9.2%, while obesity rates have increased from 3% to 9.4%. Obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions, except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

This calls for governments to implement policies to improve children’s food environments, including food labelling, food marketing restrictions, and food taxes and subsidies.The traditional diets are giving way to ultra-processed foods,

Schools, shelves, and screens are flooded by unhealthy food. Nutritious food should be an easy choice, within the reach of children thereby ensuring sustainable economic growth and development

By 2035, the global economic impact of overweight and obesity is expected to surpass US$4 trillion annually, something more dangerous than undernutrition.

It’s time governments implement social and behaviour change initiatives that empower families and communities to demand healthier food environments and ban the provision or sale of ultra-processed and junk foods, and prohibit food marketing and sponsorship in schools.

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