Obesity has now overtaken undernourishment as the leading form of malnutrition among children and adolescents aged five to 19, driven by the “unethical” marketing and widespread availability of junk food, UNICEF warned in a report released Tuesday.
The UN agency projects that nearly one in 10 young people worldwide will be obese by 2025. In 2022, 8% of youths—163 million—were obese, compared to just 3% in 2000. By this year, global obesity prevalence (9.4%) has surpassed underweight cases (9.2%) for the first time.
“Ultra-processed food is replacing fruits, vegetables and proteins at a time when nutrition is crucial for children’s growth, cognitive development and mental health,” UNICEF chief Catherine Russell said.
While undernutrition has declined globally—from 13% to 10% between 2000 and 2022—overweight numbers have more than doubled, from 194 million to 391 million. UNICEF stressed that this surge is not due to poor family choices but to aggressive marketing practices by food and beverage companies, particularly around schools, where children are targeted with sugary drinks and salty snacks.
The agency also rejected the notion that exercise can counteract unhealthy diets, noting it is impossible to “outrun” the effects of excessive sugar, salt, and ultra-processed foods.
Though obesity has long been higher in developed nations like the US (21%) and Chile (27%), poorer regions are rapidly catching up. Some Pacific islands now have among the world’s highest rates, with Niue at 38% and the Cook Islands at 37%. Many countries now face a “double burden” of both undernutrition and obesity.
UNICEF is calling for urgent action, including advertising restrictions, taxes on sugary drinks and unhealthy foods, and policies promoting fresh produce. It warned that without decisive measures, society will continue to fail in protecting children from environments that push them toward lifelong health risks.
