A new UNICEF report reveals a dramatic shift in global child nutrition. For the first time, there are now more overweight and obese school-age children and adolescents than those who are underweight. Child obesity has become a worldwide problem, and it’s not just in the richer countries.
UNICEF Report
The report, called “Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children,” draws on data from more than 190 countries and shows how quickly the landscape has changed since the year 2000. Back then, underweight was far more common. Today, obesity affects about one in ten children aged 5 to 19, while underweight has fallen to just under one in ten.
UNICEF’s executive director, Catherine Russell, put it bluntly: “When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children. Obesity is a growing concern that can impact the health and development of children.” She added that ultra-processed foods are replacing fruits, vegetables, and protein at a time when nutrition is critical for growth and brain development.
The report argues that many children don’t have a fair chance to eat well because cheap, ultra-processed options surround them and are marketed aggressively. “Those environments are driving nutrient-poor, unhealthy diets and a surge in overweight and obesity,” the report states.
According to the study, about 188 million school-age children and adolescents are living with obesity. When you look more broadly at overweight (which includes obesity), about 391 million children aged 5–19 fall into that category worldwide.
Reuters noted that child obesity among 5- to 19-year-olds has more than tripled since 2000, rising from about 3% to 9.4%, while underweight has dropped from nearly 13% to 9.2%. “Obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions of the world other than sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia,” the outlet noted.
UNICEF also noted that in several Pacific Island nations – such as Niue, the Cook Islands, and Nauru – roughly a third or more of children live with obesity. The United States and the United Arab Emirates have around one in five school-age children and teenagers with obesity. Chile’s rate is even higher.
In a UNICEF global poll of 64,000 young people from more than 170 countries, three out of four teens and young adults said they saw ads for sugary drinks, snacks, or fast food in the previous week, and many said those ads made them want the products more.
Health consequences can be lifelong. Childhood obesity raises the risk of insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and serious illnesses later on, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
UNICEF also warns about the economic toll. Without action, countries will face large health bills and lost productivity. The agency estimates the global economic impact overweight and obesity could surpass $4 trillion US dollars each year by 2035.
Defining Child Obesity
When UNICEF and the World Health Organization talk about children being overweight or obese, they use growth charts that compare individual weight and height to international reference standards. Instead of the adult Body Mass Index (BMI) cut-offs like “25” for overweight or “30” for obesity, children’s BMI is interpreted relative to age and sex, because bodies grow at different rates during childhood and adolescence.
“Children and teens ages 2 through 19 years are considered overweight if their BMI is at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex,” the CDC explained. “They are considered obese if their BMI is at or above the 95th percentile.”
Some experts say the framing matters. “Obesity is not a failure of parents or children. It’s the result of toxic food environments,” Chris van Tulleken, a professor of global health at University College London, told Reuters.
What’s Being Done?
The MAHA commission, under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., released a report on May 22, 2025, which states that childhood obesity is one part of a broader chronic disease crisis affecting U.S. children. Kennedy has used strong language to describe ultra-processed foods. During his Senate confirmation hearings, he called many of these additive-rich foods “poison” and accused manufacturers of “mass poisoning American children.” He clarified that he does not plan to ban all ultra-processed foods, but wants more regulation, better labeling, and education about their health effects.
Some concrete changes already underway under the MAHA agenda include the intent to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes in foods, especially items frequently eaten by children, such as in some cold cereals. Another avenue of action is reforming parts of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) so that states can restrict the purchase of junk food and sweetened beverages with SNAP benefits. According to the report, several states have already been approved to implement such waivers.
Kennedy and the MAHA movement want to strengthen dietary guidelines by defining “ultra-processed food” more clearly so that updated federal recommendations better address the negative health impacts of highly processed diets in children.
Kennedy praised a move by Coca-Cola to introduce a version of its soda made with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, viewing it as a “win for health-conscious policy.”
UNICEF’s message is that the world now faces a “double burden” of malnutrition. In many places, stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies still harm young children, especially under age five. At the same time, however, unhealthy diets are causing overweight and obesity to surge in older children and teens. Policymakers, the report argues, need to tackle both problems at once: Reduce hunger and undernutrition while also reshaping food environments so that nourishing choices are easy and affordable. They’ll certainly have their work cut out for them should they try.
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