More children are obese than underweight
Obesity has overtaken underweight as the main form of malnutrition among children – with the steepest rise in low income countries – due to poor diets including ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks
OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
5-19 years
Underweight
9.2%
184m
Obese
9.4%
188m
Total overweight
20%
Overweight
Obese
All ages
North
America
31m
>15m
Western Europe
22m
>9m
Eastern Europe, Central Asia
22m
>7m
Middle East, North Africa
52m
22m
Latin America, Carribean
60m
26m
West, Central Africa
30m
>11m
Southern, Eastern Africa
28m
8m
South Asia
69m
25m
East Asia, Pacific
113m
51m
PERCENTAGE OVERWEIGHT BY AGE
0-4 years
3
3
4
7
8
8
8
9
10
5-9 years
13
14
12
27
26
26
35
39
38
10-14 years
13
12
10
28
25
25
36
39
45
15-19 years
10
10
9
20
16
18
32
30
39
Source: UNICEF
Picture: Getty Images
© GRAPHIC NEWS