For the first time, obesity has overtaken undernourishment as the main form of malnutrition among children and adolescents worldwide, driven by the proliferation of ultra-processed foods and aggressive marketing, UNICEF reports.
Obesity has now eclipsed undernourishment as the leading form of malnutrition among children and adolescents globally, UNICEF revealed in a report released on Tuesday. The UN agency said that nearly one in 10 children aged five to 19 is living with obesity, marking “a historic turning point” as obesity (9.4 percent) surpasses underweight (9.2 percent) for the first time .
The shift reflects remarkable declines in underweight prevalence—from 13 percent to 10 percent between 2000 and 2022—alongside a dramatic rise in overweight and obesity. Overweight youth more than doubled, from 194 million to 391 million, while obese children soared from 3 percent to 8 percent (163 million) over the same period .
UNICEF chief Catherine Russell emphasised the changing face of malnutrition: “when we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children.” She warned that “ultra-processed food is increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables and protein at a time when nutrition plays a critical role in children’s growth, cognitive development and mental health” .
UNICEF attributed the epidemic not to individual choices but to unethical corporate practices: children “are being bombarded by … unhealthy food marketing of junk foods”, especially at school, said legal expert Katherine Shats. The agency urged governments to impose advertising restrictions, taxes on sugary drinks and unhealthy foods, and promote fresh-produce production .