Unicef has announced that for the first time in history, there are more overweight children in the world than underweight children, the BBC reports.
About one in ten children aged between five and 19 are obese, or 188 million children and young people. Researchers blame the shift from traditional diets to ultra-processed foods, which are relatively cheap and high in calories. The UN agency Unicef has called on governments to address child nutrition issues to exclude unhealthy foods and prevent processed food manufacturers from interfering in policy-making.
When health experts talk about malnutrition, it has usually been thought that these are children with insufficient body weight. Now the view is changing, and this can also apply to children whose body weight is increased, but who at the same time do not receive all the nutrients necessary for development. This has become a cause for concern even in poorer countries.
A child is considered overweight if they are significantly above the average healthy weight for their age, sex and height. Obesity is the most severe form of overweight, and is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
A healthy diet, including fruits, vegetables and adequate protein, plays an important role in growth, cognitive development and mental health during childhood. However,
traditional diets are increasingly being replaced by processed foods,
which are often high in sugar, salt, starches, unhealthy fats and additives. Unicef Director Catherine Russell said the challenges posed by obesity should not be underestimated, as it threatens children’s health and development.
At the same time, food insecurity remains a problem in many places, with many children in low- and middle-income countries undernourished by the age of five. However, the latest Unicef data from 190 countries shows that the number of underweight children aged 5 to 19 has decreased since 2000. In turn, the number of obese children has increased from 3% to 9.4%. Russell pointed to a paradoxical situation – in many countries, obesity caused by inadequate nutrition and stunting are observed at the same time. She indicated that there is an urgent need to create policies that support parents and guardians’ ability to access healthy foods for their children.
Unicef has warned that if nothing is done, the impact on public health and the economy will be huge. Governments are being called on to take action, including by controlling the marketing of food products. Some possible options for action could be to increase taxes on unhealthy foods and encourage manufacturers to reformulate products to limit the amount of harmful ingredients. It could also prevent ultra-processed food manufacturers from participating in policymaking, requiring them to report cases of lobbying.
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