Globally, obesity has overtaken underweight as the most common form of malnutrition among children and teenagers for the first time, according to a UNICEF nutrition report.
The report shows that underweight among people aged 5 to 19 fell from around 13% in 2000 to 9.2%, while obesity rose from 3% to 9.4% over the same period. Obesity now exceeds underweight in most regions, except in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The findings are based on data from more than 190 countries, including household surveys, modelled estimates, projections, and other research, UNICEF Germany said.
High-income countries show particularly high obesity rates among youth, with 27% in Chile, 21% in the United States and 21% in the United Arab Emirates. In Germany, about one in four people aged 5 to 19 is overweight, up slightly from 24% in 2000 to 25% in 2022, while obesity remained steady at 8%.
"Malnutrition is no longer only about underweight children," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.
"Obesity is a growing problem potentially affecting children's health and development. Highly processed foods are increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables, and proteins at a critical stage for growth, cognitive development, and mental health."
The report warns that cheap, aggressively marketed ultra-processed foods and fast food contribute to rising obesity rates. Obesity can affect school attendance, self-esteem and social inclusion, and is often difficult to reverse once established in childhood or adolescence, it adds.
UNICEF highlighted Mexico as a positive example, where the government recently banned the sale in public schools of food that is highly processed or has high levels of salt, sugar or fat, benefitting more than 34 million children.
