UNICEF: Childhood Obesity Prevalence Surpasses Underweight for the First Time

September 16, 2025 | 06:47 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - For the first time, and this year, the prevalence of obesity among school-age children and adolescents worldwide has surpassed the prevalence of underweight. A report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) states that as many as 1 in 10 of these children, or a total of 188 million, are obese, putting them at risk for many diseases in adulthood.

The report, titled 'Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children,' drew data from at least 190 countries and found that the prevalence of underweight cases among children aged 5-19 has decreased since 2000, from nearly 13 to 9.4 percent. Conversely, the prevalence of obesity has now exceeded it in all regions of the world, except for sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

According to the reported findings, several Pacific island countries have the highest prevalence of obesity globally. These include a rate of 38 percent in Niue, 37 percent in the Cook Islands, and 33 percent in Nauru. These figures--which have doubled since 2000--are primarily driven by a shift from traditional to imported energy-dense and cheap foods.

Meanwhile, many high-income countries also continue to have high levels of obesity among their children. For example, 27 percent of children aged 5-19 in Chile are obese. In the United States, it's 21 percent, and in the UAE, also 21 percent.

"Now, when we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight," stated UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a press release issued by UNICEF on September 10, 2025.

She added that obesity is a growing concern that can impact the health and growth of children. "Fast food is increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables, and protein at a time when nutrition plays a crucial role in the growth of children, cognitive development, and mental health," Russell explained.

While undernutrition, such as stunting, remains a major concern among children under five in most low- and middle-income countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing among school-age children and adolescents globally. Based on the latest data, 1 in 5 children and adolescents aged 5-19 worldwide--or 391 million--are overweight, with the majority classified as living with obesity.

Children are considered overweight when their weight is significantly higher than it should be for their age, height, and gender. Meanwhile, obesity is a more severe form and leads to a higher risk of developing insulin resistance and high blood pressure. Obesity also invites life-threatening diseases in the future, including type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and several types of cancer.

The UNICEF report warns that ultra-processed and fast food--high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, salt, unhealthy fats, and additives--are increasingly shaping children's diets through an unhealthy food environment. These products dominate supermarkets and schools, along with digital marketing giving the food and beverage industry powerful access to young audiences.

Without interventions to prevent the widespread prevalence of overweight and obesity during childhood, countries may face economic and health impacts beyond, for example, 210 billion dollars in Peru. By 2035, the global economic impact of overweight and obesity is estimated to exceed 4 trillion dollars annually.

The UNICEF report also highlights the positive steps taken by some governments. For example, Mexico has banned the sale and distribution of fast food and ultra-fast processed food in public schools. This policy is expected to positively influence the food environment for more than 34 million children in the country.

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