More children are obese than underweight, Unicef warns

According to an important study by UNICEF, children’s charity, there are more children who are obese for the first time in the world.

One of the 10 of those aged five to 19 – about 188 million children and young – is thought to be affected by obesity.

Researchers blame the transition from traditional diets to those who are largely dependent on ultra -processed foods with relatively cheap and high calories.

UNICEF, the United Nations agency, calls governments to protect children from unhealthy content and stop the ultra -processed food industry to intervene in policy decisions.

When health experts refer to children who are malnourished, this was usually read as weak ones.

Not anymore – this term now expresses the effect of obesity on the health and development of children. Even in poor countries, it is a real concern right now.

Children are considered excessively overweight when they are significantly heavier than a healthy weight for their ages, sex and heights.

Obesity is a serious form of overweight and is linked to type-2 diabetes in later life, cardiovascular disease and some cancer risk.

Throughout childhood, good nutrition, growth, cognitive development and mental health, including plenty of fruits, vegetables and proteins, play a vital role in mental health.

However, many traditional diets are usually displaced by ultra -processed foods with high sugar, starch, salt, unhealthy oils and additives.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, obesity’s difficulties should not be predicted, he said. He said it was “an increased concern” that may affect the health and development of children.

Malnutrition that can show itself as waste and dwarf continues to be an important problem in many low and medium -income countries.

But Latest data UNICEF, a study that benefits from data from more than 190 countries, finds the prevalence of low-weight children aged 5-19 years from the age of 5 to 9% to 9.2% since 2000.

However, obesity rates have risen from 3% to 9.4%, ie almost one of 10 children is obese.

The number of overweight children, including obese, has also increased to the extent that one of the five school -age children and adolescents is overweight.

According to the study, this estimates that there are about 391 million children around the world.

Obesity is now exceeding weakness in all regions of the world, except for Sub -Sahara Africa and South Asia.

The highest obesity rates among children and young people are found in some Pacific island states, including Niue (38%), Cook Islands (37%) and Nauru (33%).

However, many high -income countries face a serious obesity problem. 27% among children aged 5-19 is obese in Chile, 21% and 21% in the United States are in the United Arab Emirates.

Catherine Russell from UNICEF says: “We see the double burden of malnutrition in many countries – the presence of dwarf and obesity.

“This requires targeted interventions.

“Nutritional and affordable foods should be available to every child to support their growth and development.

“Parents and caregivers urgently need policies that support their access to nutritious and healthy foods for their children.”

UNICEF warns that health effects and economic costs of doing anything are potentially enormous.

The report is expected to exceed 4 trillion dollars (£ 2.95 trillion £) per year, excessive overweight and obesity by 2035.

He invites governments to take action, including labeling and marketing of food.

This may include legal measures to protect children’s diets by removing ultra -processed foods from school canteens, bringing taxes to unhealthy foods and drinks, and making changes in products known as reformulation – to limit unhealthy components and harmful substitutes.

The report also requires the protection of the policy -making ultra -processed food industry from the intervention.

Ultra -processed food and beverage manufacturers may prohibit the participation and implementation of politics and any industrial political lobbying should be officially reported.