Child Obesity Increases, WHO Intensifies Promotion of Healthy Eating Patterns in Schools

Illustration of healthy school supplies (Pexels/Yan Krukau)

JAKARTA - Childhood overweight and obesity are now increasing globally. By 2025, about 1 in 10 school-age children and adolescents will live with obesity worldwide.

This figure for the first time exceeded the number of underweight children. On the other hand, malnutrition is still a health challenge.

With this fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that education and the implementation of a healthy diet in schools are important steps to overcome obesity and malnutrition.

The implementation of a healthy diet from now on will help children develop healthy dietary habits for life. Along with this, WHO has released new global guidelines on evidence-based policies and interventions to create a healthy school food environment.

For the first time, WHO is advising countries to adopt a whole-school approach, which ensures that the food and beverages provided in schools are healthier and more nutritious.

"The food children eat at school and the environment that shapes what they eat can have a profound impact on their learning, and lifelong consequences for their health and well-being," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, quoted from the WHO website, Thursday, January 29, 2026.

In the guidelines, WHO recommends that schools increase the provision of food and beverages with a healthy diet, which specifically focuses on the following.

- Establish standards or rules to increase the availability, purchase, and consumption of healthy food and beverages, while limiting unhealthy foods.

- Implementing incentive interventions to encourage children to choose, buy, and consume healthier foods and beverages.

The push interventions can include changes to the placement, presentation, or price of food options available to children.

"Getting the right nutrition at school is critical to preventing disease later in life and creating healthier adults," Tedros concluded.