05/10/2015 WHO|Childhoodoverweightandobesity

GlobalStrategyonDiet,PhysicalActivityandHealth
Childhoodoverweightandobesity
Keyresources

Globalstatusreporton
Childhoodoverweightandobesityontherise
noncommunicablediseases
Childhoodobesityisoneofthemostseriouspublichealthchallenges 2014
2015
ofthe21stcentury.Theproblemisglobalandissteadilyaffecting
manylowandmiddleincomecountries,particularlyinurbansettings. Saltreductionandiodine
Theprevalencehasincreasedatanalarmingrate.Globally,in2013the fortificationstrategiesin
publichealth
numberofoverweightchildrenundertheageoffive,isestimatedtobe
2014
over42million.Closeto31millionofthesearelivingindeveloping
countries. Globalactionplanforthe
preventionandcontrolof
NCDs20132020
Overweightandobesechildrenarelikelytostayobeseintoadulthood 2013
andmorelikelytodevelopnoncommunicablediseaseslikediabetes
Aframeworkforimplementing
andcardiovasculardiseasesatayoungerage.Overweightandobesity, thesetofrecommendations
aswellastheirrelateddiseases,arelargelypreventable.Preventionof onthemarketingoffoodsand
childhoodobesitythereforeneedshighpriority. nonalcoholicbeveragesto
children
2012
TheWHOMemberStatesinthe66thWorldHealthAssemblyhave
agreedonavoluntaryglobalNCDtargettohalttheriseindiabetesand Globalrecommendationson
obesity. physicalactivityforhealth
2010
Theprevalenceofoverweightandobesityinadolescentsisdefined
accordingtotheWHOgrowthreferenceforschoolagedchildrenand
adolescents(overweight=onestandarddeviationbodymassindexfor
ageandsex,andobese=twostandarddeviationsbodymassindexfor Frequentlyaskedquestions
ageandsex).
Frequentlyaskedquestionson
DPAS
Whatisoverweightandobesity?
Whydoesitmatter?
Whatarethecauses?
Contactus
Whatcanbedone?
WHOPreventionof
NoncommunicableDiseases(PND)
NoncommunicableDiseasesand
Populationbasedapproachestochildhoodobesity MentalHealth
prevention 20AvenueAppia
AvailableinEnglishandFrench 1211Geneva27
Switzerland
Telephone:+41227914426
Fax:+41227914832
Email:dietandhealth@who.int

http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood/en/ 1/2
05/10/2015 WHO|Childhoodoverweightandobesity

Prioritizingareasforactioninthefieldofpopulation Mediacontacts
basedpreventionofchildhoodobesity
AvailableinEnglish,FrenchandRussian

WHOForumandTechnicalMeetingonPopulation
basedPreventionStrategiesforChildhoodObesity
Geneva,Switzerland
1517December2009

GlobalStrategyonDiet,PhysicalActivityandHealth
Thefundamentalcausesbehindtherisinglevelsofchildhoodobesity
areashiftindiettowardsincreasedintakeofenergydensefoodsthat
arehighinfatandsugarsbutlowinvitamins,mineralsandother
healthymicronutrients,andatrendtowardsdecreasedlevelsof
physicalactivity.

WHOdevelopedtheGlobalStrategyonDiet,PhysicalActivityand
HealthattherequestofWHOMemberStates,whichwasendorsedby
the57thWorldHealthAssembly,inMay2004.TheGlobalStrategyon
Diet,PhysicalActivityandHealthisapreventionbasedstrategythat
aimstosignificantlyreducetheprevalenceofNCDsandtheircommon
riskfactors,primarilyunhealthydietandphysicalinactivity.

Relatedlinks

Marketingoffoodsandnonalcoholicbeveragestochildren
PhysicalActivityandYoungPeople
Schoolpolicyframework
Globalschoolbasedstudenthealthsurvey(GSHS)
Nutrition
Healthpromotion
Childhealth
Gender

http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood/en/ 2/2