Convenience and grocery retailers may face renewed scrutiny over their product mix as a UN report warns that more children worldwide are now obese than underweight, driven in part by the dominance of ultra-processed food (UPF) on shelves.
The study by UNICEF found that 188 million school-age children and teenagers — around one in 10 — are living with obesity. In contrast, 9.2% of five to 19-year-olds are underweight, while 9.4% are obese.
Just 25 years ago, the figures were reversed, with nearly 13% underweight and only 3% obese.
The broad definition of UPF includes cereals, biscuits and cakes, fizzy drinks and ready meals, the common items found in a convenience store.
UPFs “dominate shops and schools”, the report warned, and are heavily promoted to young people and parents digitally, creating an environment where they are hard to avoid, rather than a matter of personal choice.
Catherine Russell, executive director of the UN agency for children, said: “When we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children.
“Obesity is a growing concern. Ultra-processed food [UPF] is increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables and protein at a time when nutrition plays a critical role in children’s growth, cognitive development and mental health.”
The report, Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children, used data from more than 190 countries and sources including Unicef, the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
Obesity was highest in Pacific Island countries, where there has been “a shift from traditional diets to cheap, energy-dense, imported food”.
In the UK, the percentage of overweight children increased from 29% in 2000 to 30% in 2022, while the percentage with obesity rose from 9% to 11%.
Unicef called on governments to act on this by using labelling, marketing restrictions, taxes and subsidies. It suggested banning junk foods and their marketing in schools, and better programmes for vulnerable families to afford nutritious diets.