Health. There are now more obese children than malnourished children in the world.
Obesity has thus become the leading form of malnutrition among 5-19 year-olds worldwide this year, ahead of undernourishment, according to the latest UNICEF report.
The toxic environment created by the ultra-processed food industry is being singled out. Photo Sipa/Newscom/Rafael Ben Ari
Obesity has soared in recent years among children and adolescents bombarded by junk food advertising. So much so that "2025 marks a historic turning point," according to UNICEF: "For the first time, the global prevalence of obesity in school-aged children and adolescents exceeds that of underweight (9.4% versus 9.2%)."
Obesity has thus become the leading form of malnutrition among 5-19 year-olds worldwide this year, ahead of undernourishment.
"Today, when we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just referring to underweight children," comments the head of the UN agency, Catherine Russell. "Obesity is a growing problem that can impact children's health and development."
While the fight to reduce global hunger is bearing some fruit, the prevalence of underweight 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).
Childhood obesity: which countries are most affected?
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 the rise is even more marked for obesity, a more serious form of excess weight 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 5-19 year-olds worldwide (163 million) suffered from obesity, compared to 3% in 2000.
The “myth” surrounding sportThus, 188 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 live with this chronic disease, according to UNICEF projections.
The first culprit: a toxic environment created by the ultra-processed food industry, products that are often cheaper than fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, or proteins, which they are gradually replacing in families' diets.
But UNICEF insists: the fault lies neither with the children nor their families, but with a "failure of society." The agency also rejects the "myth" surrounding sport: it is "impossible to escape the health consequences" of junk food "through physical activity alone."
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