Obese children officially outnumber starving ones for first time ever – Unicef
When a child develops obesity in childhood, they are likely to be exposed to serious health risks for longer.
Children and adolescents living with obesity have outstripped those who are underweight for the first time, marking a historic shift that has made obesity the most prevalent form of malnutrition globally, new Unicef data shows.
The latest figures, published in the report "Feeding Profit: How food environments are failing children", reveal that unhealthy food environments have become increasingly accessible, driving a surge in childhood obesity rates worldwide.
Children are classified as overweight when they are heavier than what is considered healthy for their age, sex and height. Obesity represents a severe form of being overweight that significantly increases the risk of developing insulin resistance, high blood pressure and other serious conditions. When children reach adulthood, they face heightened risks of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
The data shows that globally, one in five children and adolescents aged 5-19 years – totalling 391 million – are now overweight, with most classified as living with obesity. In 2025, an estimated 188 million children and adolescents aged 15-19 years are living with obesity, compared with 184 million who are underweight.
"When a child develops obesity in childhood, they are likely to be exposed to serious health risks for longer, with a greater likelihood that these risks will persist into adulthood," the report explains.
Catherine Russell, Unicef's executive director, warned: “Obesity is a growing concern that can impact the health and development of children. Ultra-processed food is increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables and protein at a time when nutrition plays a critical role in children's growth, cognitive development and mental health.”
Global patterns
These alarming numbers have increased across all world regions except Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. However, Kenya has not escaped the trend.
The data reveals that more than half of Kenyan children aged between six and 23 months are consuming sweet beverages and foods, whilst parents are failing to provide adequate vegetables or fruits in their diets.
The 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey shows that only about four in ten children in the country received minimum dietary diversity, whilst approximately three in ten received the minimum acceptable diet. Although the survey indicates that children's nutritional status has improved over the past three decades, it contained no specific data on obesity rates.
"For healthy growth, infants and young children should not be given sweet foods and beverages and instead should be fed healthy foods including fruits and vegetables," the KDHS report warned.
The triple burden
The new Unicef report explains that dietary imbalances create a heightened risk of what experts call the “triple burden” of child malnutrition: stunting, micronutrient deficiencies and being overweight. These three forms of malnutrition can coexist within the same country, community, household and even affect the same individual.
Rose Joy Etale, a clinical nutritionist who was not involved in the study, explains that obesity prevalence typically increases with household income levels. “The better off a household is economically, the higher the risk of obesity if proper nutrition is not considered,” she says.
“Possible causes of obesity include easy accessibility and affordability of highly processed, refined and calorie-dense foods,” Etale notes. She highlights particular concern about urban areas, where more children are becoming obese due to reduced physical activity.
“Most children have resorted to screen time as their primary mode of entertainment, and parental lifestyle is also a major factor since children mirror the food and activity habits of their parents,” she explains.
For parents managing childhood obesity, Etale advises regulating sugary drinks and snacks whilst encouraging increased physical activity, limiting screen time and consulting nutritionists and dietitians for proper meal planning guidance. She strongly cautions against crash dieting: “This should not be used at any cost since it will impair growth and development.”
Digital marketing concerns
The report identifies the commercial sector as playing a major role in manufacturing unhealthy foods and beverages that shape young children's diets in low- and middle-income countries.
A Unicef analysis conducted across Kenya and five other countries—Argentina, Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines and Uganda—reveals high levels of exposure to digital advertising for unhealthy foods and beverages, using tactics specifically designed to appeal to children and adolescents.
In Kenya, more than 26 percent of the population actively uses social media platforms. The primary targets of these digital advertisements are adolescents and young people aged 14-20 years, who spend two to three hours daily on social media.
A separate Unicef study analysing digital food marketing examined 137 social media posts and found that 88 percent promoted products high in saturated fats, sugars and salt that failed to meet World Health Organization standards for marketing to children in the African region.
“This digital marketing is uniquely tailored to Kenya; uses emotionally resonant themes such as family bonding, entertainment, social status and personal identity formation; and exploits adolescents' developmental vulnerabilities,” the report states.
The report now recommends banning the sale of ultra-processed foods high in sugar, refined starch, salt, unhealthy fats and additives. It also calls for implementing mandatory policies to improve children's food environments, including comprehensive food labelling, marketing restrictions, and strategic food taxes and subsidies.
