United Nations: 188 million children worldwide are obese

(Chinhphu.vn) - About 188 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 worldwide are obese. According to a new report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), by 2025, for the first time in history, the global obesity rate among children and adolescents will exceed the rate of underweight.

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The report said that since 2000, the underweight rate in this age group has decreased from 13% to 9.2%, while the obesity rate has increased from 3% to 9.4%. Obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions of the world except South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

The highest obesity rates were recorded in Pacific Island countries (33-38%), followed by Chile (27%), the United States and the United Arab Emirates (21%).

It is estimated that 1 in 10 children and adolescents in 190 countries, or about 188 million people, are obese. Globally, 1 in 5 children aged 5-19 (about 391 million people) are overweight.

"When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. Obesity is a growing concern that can impact children's health and development. Worryingly, at a time when nutrition is crucial to children's physical, cognitive and mental development, ultra-processed foods are increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables and protein sources.

To transform the food environment and ensure children have access to nutritious diets, UNICEF calls on governments , civil society and partners to urgently implement comprehensive mandatory policies to improve the food environment for children, including food labeling, advertising restrictions, taxes on unhealthy foods and subsidies for nutritious foods.

Implement initiatives to change community awareness and behavior, giving families and communities a stronger voice in demanding healthy food environments. Ban the provision, sale, advertising, and sponsorship of ultra-processed foods and unhealthy fast foods in schools.

Establish strong safeguards to prevent the ultra-processed food industry from interfering in public policymaking. Strengthen social protection programs to reduce poverty and improve access to nutritious diets for vulnerable families.

An Binh

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/lien-hop-quoc-188-trieu-tre-em-tren-the-gioi-bi-beo-phi-102250911085503513.htm