For the first time in history, more children worldwide are obese than underweight, according to a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The agency warned that the rapid spread of ultra-processed foods is fueling a global health crisis among children and adolescents.
The report found that the proportion of school-aged children and teenagers who are underweight has fallen since 2000, dropping from 13 percent to 9.2 percent. At the same time, obesity rates have surged from 3 percent to 9.4 percent. This shift means that by 2025, around 188 million children aged 5 to 19 will be living with obesity, compared with 184 million who are underweight.
UNICEF highlighted that sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are now the only regions where underweight remains more common than obesity. Elsewhere, rising weight-related health risks are overshadowing earlier battles against undernutrition.
“When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Obesity is a growing concern for children’s health and development.”
In Western Europe, about 25 percent of children are overweight, a figure that has remained largely unchanged for two decades. However, in many other parts of the world, childhood obesity rates have spiked sharply.
The agency pointed to the dominance of ultra-processed foods – including crisps, sugary cereals, fast food, and frozen meals – as a major driver. These products, often high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and additives, now make up more than half of children’s daily calories in several countries. Such diets have been linked to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and premature death.
A global survey of 64,000 young people last year found that 75 percent had recently been exposed to advertisements for sugary drinks, snacks, and fast food, with 60 percent admitting the ads influenced their cravings. “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,” Russell said.
The report also underscored the “double burden” of malnutrition in many countries: young children facing stunting and wasting due to poor diets, while older children and adolescents suffer from overweight and obesity. This dual challenge, UNICEF said, calls for targeted interventions.
The agency urged governments to implement stronger policies to protect children’s health, including restrictions on junk food advertising, clear nutritional labeling, bans on unhealthy food sales in schools, and expanded social programmes to make nutritious foods more affordable for low-income families.
“Without action, millions of children will face preventable health problems that could affect them for the rest of their lives,” Russell warned.
