“Childhood obesity is one of the most serious global public health challenges of the 21st century, affecting every country in the world. In just 40 years the number of school-age children and adolescents with obesity has risen more than 10-fold, from 11million to 124 million (2016 estimates). In addition, an estimated 216 million were classified as overweight but not obese in 2016.
The condition also affects younger children, with over 38 million children aged under 5 living with overweight or obesity in 2017.
Obesity in adulthood is a major risk factor for the world’s leading causes of poor health and early death including cardiovascular disease, several common cancers, diabetes and osteoarthritis. Preventing obesity has direct benefits for children’s health and wellbeing, in childhood and continuing into adulthood.
Compared with children with a healthy weight, those with overweight or obesity are more likely to experience negative consequences.”
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
