Childhood Obesity Surpasses Undernutrition: Till a few decades ago, young children in many countries of the world were not able to get proper nutrition, due to which they became underweight. Due to being underweight, their growth was affected, and health-related problems arose. However, a UNICEF report has revealed that obesity is increasing rapidly among school-going children around the world, and its figure has become more than that of underweight children. The problem of obesity in children is increasing in all countries, and this can increase the risk of many serious diseases. Many shocking things have come to light in the recent report of UNICEF, which all parents should know.

According to the new report of UNICEF, now the problem of obesity is spreading more than the problem of underweight among children all over the world. This is also a form of malnutrition, due to which children become obese at an early age. If we look at the figures, about 10% of the children in the world between the ages of 5 and 19 have become victims of obesity. This figure has reached around 188 million, which is worrying. Since the year 2000, the percentage of underweight individuals has decreased from about 13% to 9.2%, while the obesity rate has increased from 3% to 9.4%. This situation has emerged as a serious challenge to health because obesity increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other life-threatening diseases in the future. It can cause a big problem, especially for children.

According to a recent report, obesity has now become a more widely seen malnutrition than underweight. This change has occurred in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This shows that the nature of children's nutrition problems in the world has now become different and complex from one-sided poverty. The highest rate of obesity in children has been recorded in Pacific Islands such as Niue (38%), the Cook Islands (37%), and Nauru (33%). These figures are particularly worrying, as this change has been caused by the increasing trend of cheap and high-calorie imported foods instead of good foods.

It was often believed that children in high-income countries are healthier, but a new UNICEF report shows that the rate of obesity among children is not low even in high-income countries. 27% of school-going children in Chile, about 21% in the US, and the UAE fall into the category of obesity. This shows that the problem is not limited to developing countries but exists globally. The report makes it clear that obesity in children is increasing rapidly due to ultra-processed foods. These foods contain large amounts of sugar, salt, fat, and additives, which children are consuming a lot of. Nowadays these foods have become an important part of the diet of children. These foods are increasing obesity in children.

According to a survey, 75% of youth aged 13-24 years saw junk food advertisements in the last week, and 60% said that these advertisements increased their desire to eat. Even in war-torn areas, 68% of youth came in contact with such advertisements. Overall, advertisements of junk foods are also increasing this problem. The UNICEF report warns that if immediate steps are not taken to avoid obesity in children, then countries may have to suffer huge health and economic losses. By 2035, the global economic loss due to obesity is estimated to reach $ 4 trillion per year. Some countries have taken steps towards positive change. For example, Mexico has banned the sale of ultra-processed, high sugar, high salt and high fat foods in schools, which has improved the nutritional environment of more than 34 million children.

According to the UNICEF report, obesity is increasing rapidly in children of which age group?
A6 to 15 years
B4 to 18 years
C5 to 19 years
D3 to 12 years

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