Undernutrition – which can manifest itself as wasting and stunting – remains a significant problem in the under-fives in many low and middle income countries.
But the latest data, external from Unicef – a study that draws on data from more than 190 countries – finds the prevalence of underweight children aged 5-19 has declined since 2000, from nearly 13% to 9.2%.
Obesity rates however have increased from 3% to 9.4%, meaning that almost one in 10 children are now obese.
The number of overweight children – which includes those who are obese – has also increased to the extent that now 1 in five school-age children and adolescents are overweight.
That’s roughly 391 million children across the globe, the study estimates.
Obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions of the world, except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The highest rates of obesity among children and young people are found in some of the Pacific Island states, including Niue (38%), the Cook Islands (37%), and Nauru (33%).
But many high-income countries also face a serious obesity problem. Among 5-19 year olds, 27% are obese in Chile, 21% in the United States, and 21% in the United Arab Emirates.
Unicef’s Catherine Russell says: “In many countries we are seeing the double burden of malnutrition – the existence of stunting and obesity.
“This requires targeted interventions.
“Nutritious and affordable food must be available to every child to support their growth and development.
“We urgently need policies that support parents and caretakers to access nutritious and healthy foods for their children.”