There Are More Fat Than Thin Kids Now

For the first time in history, more children around the world are living with obesity than are underweight, according to a new report from UNICEF. The data shows 188 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19—about 9.4% globally—are obese. In comparison, 9.2% are underweight.

This marks a dramatic shift from the year 2000, when only 3% of children were obese, while 13% were underweight. The findings are based on data from 190 countries.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted the growing role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in children’s diets, noting they are often cheaper and more accessible than healthier options like fruits, vegetables, and proteins. “When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children,” she said, as quoted by The Guardian.

Obesity rates are especially high in the Pacific Islands, where some countries report over one-third of school-aged children as obese. Wealthier nations are also seeing significant rates: 27% in Chile, and 21% in both the U.S. and the UAE. In contrast, undernutrition remains a larger issue in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where more children are still underweight than obese.

original source