WHO releases first global guidelines on child obesity as cases surge

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Child and adolescent obesity has quadrupled since 1990, rising from two per cent to around eight per cent of youngsters in the five-to-19 age group, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).  

In 2024, there were around 170 million children and adolescents living with obesity – including 70 million children aged five to nine and some 100 million adolescents up to 19.

The UN health agency defines obesity as a “chronic, relapsing disease” triggered by excessive fat deposits which can nonetheless be managed through effective care.

What’s at stake 

Children and adolescents with the disease can face both medical and social repercussions from very early on in life, WHO warns. 

Obesity increases the risk of noncommunicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

It also increases their likelihood of experiencing stigma, discrimination and bullying, which can strongly negatively affect mental health. 

In its new set of guidelines, WHO strongly recommends dietary changes, physical activity and other behaviour-changing interventions.

Weight loss drugs: a last resort

It does not recommend pharmacological treatment, bariatric surgery (surgery that changes the digestive system to induce weight loss) or weight-loss devices for children aged 0-9 years.

For adolescents aged 10-19 years, treatment with approved medicines – such as GLP-1 therapies – should only be considered when a supervised lifestyle programme has failed to make improvements. 

Similarly, bariatric surgery may be considered under strict conditions for those with severe obesity.

“The foundation of obesity care for children and adolescents is not medicine or surgery, but access to comprehensive support that enables healthy eating, physical activity and sustainable behaviour change,” said Dr. Luz María De Regil, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO.

Keeping spirits up

The new recommendations also emphasise the importance of addressing mental health alongside obesity, because it is both a cause and a consequence of the disease.

Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and emotional dysregulation can contribute to unhealthy eating behaviours, physical inactivity and social withdrawal, while children and adolescents living with obesity may also experience stigma and bullying that harm their emotional well-being.

The guidelines stress that obesity care should go beyond weight loss and aim to improve health, functioning and well-being, notably by being tailored to the specific needs of each child and by ensuring long-term follow-up. 

Political action 

At the same time, WHO acknowledged that treatment cannot reverse the rise in obesity by itself: systemic changes are needed. 

The agency called for policies and measures that make healthy diets and physical activity more accessible and affordable, including regulatory and fiscal measures and action across education, urban planning, transport and social protection. 

“Our priority must be to ensure that every child and adolescent can access quality care and supportive environments from an early age, helping them achieve and maintain a healthy weight and laying the foundation for lifelong health and well-being,” said Dr. De Regil.