In the realm of child health and weight, the paradoxes are complex and often hard to ‘digest’. Nowadays, people are living in an era in which there is access to massive amounts of information regarding nutrition, yet childhood obesity continues to rise at an alarming rate. Furthermore, according to UNICEF, the UN’s agency for children, child obesity worldwide has surpassed the percentage of children who are underweight, which is a historic shift with regard to malnutrition. Thus, around one in 10 children aged 5 to 18 suffers from obesity, compared to 1 in 11 children being underweight. Why is this happening and what are the future prospects? We put these issues on the plates of several experts and invite you to check their insights in this article.
Key Takeaways:
- According to recent UNICEF findings, obesity surpassed underweight as the most prevalent form of malnutrition this year, affecting 188 million school-aged children and adolescents.
- Among the main causes, experts pinpoint the increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, overeating, food advertising, reduced physical activity, and socio-economic inequalities.
- The consequences of this trend include an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, along with psychological issues.
- Experts believe that governments should regulate the marketing of unhealthy food, and promote school-based nutrition and physical activity programs.
DevelopmentAid: What are the main causes behind the sharp rise in childhood obesity worldwide?
“The global rise in childhood obesity results from multiple interacting factors. The increased consumption of ultra-processed foods that are high in sugar, fat, and salt, along with the widespread availability of sugary drinks, has led to excessive calorie intake among children. Reduced physical activity due to sedentary lifestyles, urbanization, and prolonged screen time further aggravates the energy imbalance. Early-life factors such as maternal obesity, limited breastfeeding, and inadequate sleep also contribute to long-term weight gain. These trends are reinforced by aggressive food marketing and limited access to affordable healthy foods, especially in low-income communities.”
“The sharp rise in childhood obesity worldwide is primarily driven by obesogenic environments dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and aggressive commercial marketing to influence children’s preferences and consumption. As a result, there has been a significant decline in physical activity among children, attributed to urbanization, increased screen time, and a lack of opportunities for active mobility and play in daily life. Socioeconomic inequalities have also exacerbated this crisis. Recent studies published by The Lancet, UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank considered 2022 data and reported that around 188 million school-aged children were living with obesity, showing a historic shift in global malnutrition patterns. This trend spans high, middle, and low-income countries, with some of the highest obesity rates found in Pacific Island nations. Early life factors such as poor maternal nutrition and insufficient breastfeeding also contribute to the problem.”
“The double burden of childhood malnutrition is an increasingly concerning paradox that reflects the coexistence of two extreme forms of malnutrition: obesity and undernutrition. It affects not only developing countries but also middle- and high-income countries. A combination of biological, social, and environmental factors that interact and create an environment that is conducive to weight gain in children could explain the global rise in childhood obesity. These factors include the increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, larger meal portions (overeating), food advertising targeting children, reduced physical activity, socio-economic inequalities, lack of nutritional education, the availability of unhealthy foods, family and social influences, and biological factors (genetic predisposition, prenatal influences).”
“The rise in childhood obesity can largely be attributed to a combination of the increased consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, sedentary lifestyles, and marketing strategies that promote unhealthy eating. In addition, socioeconomic factors play a significant role, as access to healthy options can be limited in certain communities.”
DevelopmentAid: What are the most serious consequences of this trend for children and societies?
“Childhood obesity leads to serious physical and psycho-social consequences. The affected children are more prone to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as low self-esteem and social stigma. Over time, obesity in childhood often continues into adulthood, increasing the risks of chronic diseases and placing a heavy financial burden on healthcare systems.”
“For children, the primary impact is the premature onset of serious physical conditions and a lifelong risk of severe non-communicable diseases, potentially leading to a shorter healthy life expectancy. Beyond a physical decline, children experience profound psychosocial distress, manifesting as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, which directly correlates with poorer academic performance and social exclusion. For societies, this public health crisis creates devastating economic and social costs. The chronic care required for these complex, long-term conditions places an unsustainable burden on healthcare systems.”
“Obesity has significant health consequences for children (cardio-metabolic issues), impacts their mental health and well-being and, in the long term, leads to premature mortality. Obesity is also an economic burden on society (healthcare costs, loss of productivity), overwhelms healthcare services, and has an intergenerational impact.”
“The consequences of this trend include an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, psychological issues like low self-esteem and depression, and a burden on healthcare systems. The societal impacts include rising healthcare costs and decreased productivity as the affected individuals transition into adulthood.”
“The many risks of childhood obesity include hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. In adulthood, these conditions lead to reduced productivity and increased healthcare costs, resulting in a high economic burden on households and governments alike. Yet, despite these risks, the prevalence of childhood obesity continues to increase globally each year. In 1990, 31 million children aged 5-19 years were obese. This number had risen to 160 million by 2022, and to 188 million in 2025. Fundamentally, obesity occurs when there is a surplus of energy intake from diet and a deficit in energy expenditure through physical activity. The food children eat and their level of physical activity is directly related to the environment in which they live and grow. The lack of easy access to affordable nutrient-dense foods and safe spaces that encourage play and general mobility contribute significantly to the global trend of increasing childhood obesity.”
DevelopmentAid: What actions can help to reduce childhood obesity and make healthy food accessible for all?
“Combating this epidemic requires comprehensive strategies. Governments should regulate the marketing of unhealthy food, promote school-based nutrition and physical activity programs, and ensure access to affordable, nutritious foods. Fiscal policies such as taxes on sugary beverages, subsidies for fruits and vegetables, and urban planning that encourages active lifestyles can together create healthier environments and reduce global childhood obesity.”
“There are several countries that have successfully piloted small projects on fiscal and regulatory measures to regulate high-fat, high-sugar foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, while simultaneously using subsidies to make fresh produce, fruit, and vegetables affordable and accessible. Readable front-of-package warning labels and legally binding restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children across all media platforms are also vital. This may be implemented through national-level policies. Environmental and institutional changes must be enforced. This includes banning the sale of ultra-processed and junk foods in and around institutions, including schools, and strengthening urban planning to prioritize safe parks, routes for playing, cycling, etc. Social empowerment through comprehensive nutrition education empowers families to demand and sustain healthier local food systems, guaranteeing an equitable opportunity for every child to grow up healthily.”
“To reduce childhood obesity and make healthy eating more accessible to all, it is important to promote family-based behavioral change interventions, facilitate access to complementary therapies, personalize interventions, and strengthen prevention and nutritional education efforts.”
“To combat childhood obesity, we must promote healthier food environments through public policies, increase physical activity opportunities in schools, and provide education on nutrition to families. Ensuring that healthy food is accessible and affordable for all is crucial.”
“We must make the right choice an easy choice. Policies aimed at making food environments healthier through front-of-package labeling, excluding ultra-processed foods, increasing access to locally produced nutrient-dense foods, and creating safe and accessible outdoor areas that encourage movement and play are all essential for tackling this pandemic.”
See also: Can we tackle the paradox of food waste amid hunger? | Experts’ Opinions
Nutrition is a field that is gaining more and more space in the international development job market. Whether it is solving malnutrition issues or obesity, experts in the field can find a variety of jobs in terms of designing programs, analyzing data, and making pertinent recommendations. With DevelopmentAid’s Individual Professional Membership, members can now find hundreds of openings in this field and filter these by type of contract, location, experience, etc. There are also plenty of opportunities for short-term consultancies in the tenders and grants information for individuals. For those interested in remuneration, Individual Professional Membership offers access to salary trends and also provides the contact information of thousands of relevant organizations in the field. With only one click, candidates can take a bite of the global nutrition job market and start to shape healthier futures today.
