WHO number of obese children has increased dramatically

Obesity and obesity are increasing worldwide
There are more and more people around the world who are overweight. The number of overweight and obese people continues to increase. At the same time, more and more children and adolescents are affected by the problem.

Overweight is a widespread problem. More and more children weigh too much and eat unhealthy food. At least 41 million children under the age of five are overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) communication. It is amazing that their number is growing fastest in developing countries, the WHO said in its report on the end of obesity in children.

Number of overweight children has doubled in the last 25 years
More and more children are overweight or suffering from obesity. Since 1990, the number of overweight children has risen by 11 million. There are now more overweight and obese children in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries, experts at WHO explain. Due to globalization and urbanization, the number of overweight children in developing countries has doubled to 15.5 million. In 1990, this value was around 7.5 million.

According to the WHO, more and more children worldwide are overweight. (Image: kwanchaichaiudom / fotolia.com)

Overweight and obesity are problems that have a lasting effect on the quality of life of the child. Obesity causes a variety of complaints, including physical, psychological and health consequences, says Sania Nishtar of the Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) initiative. Obesity can also influence our educational success, the researchers warn. Obese children often remain overweight until adulthood, causing major health and economic dangers for those affected and their families. Marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks has been the main driver of the increase in overweight and obese children, especially in developing countries, WHO researchers say.

WHO demands: Healthy food, physical activity and healthy school environment
Almost half of overweight and obese children under the age of five live in Asia and about 25 percent live in Africa. There, the number of overweight children has almost doubled in the last 25 years. Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Botswana have the highest proportion of overweight children in African countries, according to WHO. If access to nutritionally nutritious food is absent in early childhood, the risk of obesity increases as food intake and activity begin to change, say the doctors. Children of migrants and the indigenous population are at higher risk of obesity, experts say. This is due to the rapid cultural changes and the limited access to medical care, add the physicians.

The World Health Organization says it will work more closely with governments to introduce a wide range of measures to address the causes of obesity and obesity. Such actions help to give children a healthy start in life, emphasizes Peter Gluckman, one of the co-chairmen of ECHO. Governments should promote healthy food, physical activity and a healthy school environment to fight obesity and obesity, according to WHO experts.