Overview

• The new UNICEF report estimates that 9.4% of 5–19 year‑olds live with obesity versus 9.2% underweight, affecting about 188 million children and adolescents.
• Between 2000 and 2022, the number of young people with overweight doubled from 194 million to 391 million, with obesity rising from about 3% to 9.4%.
• Rates are highest in several Pacific island nations, including Niue (38%), the Cook Islands (37%) and Nauru (33%), with a narrowing gap between wealthier and lower‑income countries.
• Underweight still outpaces obesity in Sub‑Saharan Africa and South Asia, and many countries face the double burden of undernutrition alongside rising obesity.
• UNICEF urges binding actions such as restricting junk‑food advertising, taxing sugary drinks and unhealthy foods, strengthening labels and upgrading school meals, citing Spain’s new school‑meal decree as a positive step.