London, UK, 16 September 2025 —
For the first time in human history, more school-age children and adolescents worldwide are obese than underweight, a landmark report from UNICEF reveals. The report, titled “Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children,” paints a grim picture of a global public health crisis driven by the aggressive marketing and widespread availability of cheap, ultra-processed junk foods.
The data, collected from over 190 countries, marks a historic turning point in malnutrition. The prevalence of obesity among young people aged 5 to 19 has now reached 9.4%, surpassing the 9.2% who are underweight. This stark reversal is a direct consequence of a tripling in global obesity rates since the year 2000, while the percentage of underweight children has steadily declined from nearly 13% over the same period.
A Global Crisis of Diet
The report lays the blame for this alarming trend squarely on the modern food environment. It argues that children’s diets are increasingly dominated by ultra-processed foods that are high in sugar, refined starch, salt, unhealthy fats, and additives. These products are replacing traditional, nutritious diets, even in low- and middle-income countries that have historically struggled with undernourishment.
The issue is particularly acute in the Pacific Islands, where some nations now have the highest rates of child obesity in the world, with Niue at 38% and the Cook Islands at 37%. However, the problem is not limited to developing nations; high-income countries like Chile, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates also report alarmingly high rates, all above 20%.
The Double Burden of Malnutrition
The report also highlights the “double burden of malnutrition” in many countries, where obesity exists alongside stunting and wasting (severe undernourishment). This complex challenge requires a new approach to global health that addresses both under- and over-nutrition. UNICEF warns that if current trends continue, the global cost of overweight and obesity could exceed $4 trillion annually by 2035, placing immense strain on healthcare systems and jeopardizing the health and potential of an entire generation.
