Countries failing to meet childhood obesity targets

Photo Courtesy: World Obesity Federation's first Atlas of Childhood Obesity  

London, October 3 (MExN): There will be more than 250 million school-aged children (and adolescents, aged 5-19, who will be classified as obese by 2030, putting huge pressure on healthcare systems, a new report on childhood obesity warned.

There are currently 158 million obese children around the world which is projected to rise to 206 million in 2025 and 254 million by 2030, according to the World Obesity Federation's first Atlas of Childhood Obesity Atlas published on October 2.  

The report said showed that no country has a better than fifty percent chance of meeting their target for tackling childhood obesity, which they agreed at the World Health Assembly in 2013. 

The agreement was to ensure “their levels of childhood obesity are no higher in 2025 than they were in 2010-2012,” WOF said in a release. 

The latest analyses of trends in 196 countries found that 8 out of 10 countries (156) countries have less than a ten percent chance of meeting their target and obesity is damaging the health prospects for rich and poor countries alike, it said.  

In India, the number of children aged 5-19 with obesity is projected to be over 27. 4 million by 2030, the Atlas informed, adding that the country’s India’s chance of meeting 2025 target is 0%. 

While noting that the Government has initiated polices for reducing physical inactivity and reduces unhealthy diets related to non-communicable diseases (NCD) since 2017, no Policies were in existence regarding marketing of foods to children since 2017.

This is a crucial component to check obesity among children. “For instance, 70% of countries still fail to report to have policies in place to restrict food marketing to children,” the release said. 

Overall, emerging economies – Africa, Asia, Latin America –were most at risk of obesity, WOF noted.  “The dramatic rise in the numbers of children affected by obesity is being driven by emerging economies – in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America,” said Dr Tim Lobstein, Director of Policy at the WOF and one of the authors of the report. 

WOF President, Professor Donna Ryan noted in the release that “without substantial interventions to prevent and to treat childhood obesity, the problem will overwhelm the health services of many countries.”