Child Nutrition Report 2025
United Nations Children's Fund
Abstract
In 2025, the global prevalence of obesity among school-age children and adolescents exceeded underweight for the first time. This dramatic shift in the face of malnutrition jeopardizes the health and future potential of children, communities and nations. The 2025 Child Nutrition Report – ‘Feeding Profit: How food environments are failing children’ – reveals how unhealthy food environments are contributing to the worldwide surge in overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. The report presents the latest data on the status, trends and inequities in overweight and obesity among children and adolescents worldwide. It describes how food environments expose children and adolescents to a constant supply of cheap and aggressively marketed ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, while failing to make nutritious options available and affordable. It also explains how the lack of effective policies leaves countries unprepared to safeguard children and adolescents from these harmful food environments. Drawing from recent examples of countries that have made extraordinary progress, the report presents recommendations to transform children’s food environments.