Obesity trends in children globally
Some of the world’s highest rates of childhood obesity are found in Pacific Island countries including the Cook Islands and Palau. Obesity rates have increased worldwide among children and adolescents over the past 40 years.
Key Evidence
254 million children will be obese by 2030, according to predictions
More than 30% of children in the Cook Islands, Palau and Nauru are obese
Around the world, 5.6% of girls and 7.8% of boys are obese
Childhood obesity around the world
In 2016, more than 30% of girls aged 5 to 19 years in Nauru, the Cook Islands, and Palau were obese; and the same was true for boys in the Cook Islands, Nauru, Palau, Niue, and American Samoa. More than 20% of children were obese in several countries in Polynesia and Micronesia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and the USA. Overall, 50 million girls and 74 million boys worldwide were obese in 2016.1 The World Obesity Federation’s interactive obesity atlas presents data on childhood obesity prevalence worldwide.
A snapshot of childhood obesity
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement studies in 128.9 million children, adolescents, and adults. The Lancet, 2017; 390(10113):2627-2642.
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017). Child & Adolescent Body-Mass Index - global data. from http://www.ncdrisc.org/data-downloads-adiposity-ado.html
After controlling for age, global obesity rates in girls increased from 0.7% in 1975 to 5.6% in 2016, and 0.9% to 7.8% in boys, while rates of underweight have decreased for both boys and girls (aged 5 to 19 years) over this time.1
In high-income countries including Australia, children and adolescents' mean body mass index (BMI) has plateaued at high levels since about 2000, but the increase continues to accelerate elsewhere, particularly in parts of Asia.
The transition of developing countries from traditional diets to Western-style diets high in sugar and fat products has been described as the ‘nutrition transition’.2 Researchers have called for support for developing countries to coherently address underweight and overweight in children and adolescents. They warn that an increase in nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods can lead to stunted growth along with weight gain in children and adolescents, resulting in a higher BMI and poor health outcomes throughout the life-course.1
Predicted number of children and adolescents with obesity worldwide by 2030
The number of children and adolescents (aged 5-19 years) who are obese is predicted to rise to 254 million by 2030, according to projections by the World Obesity Federation using data from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration.
World Obesity Federation (2019). Atlas of Childhood Obesity. London, England.
https://www.worldobesity.org/nlsegmentation/global-atlas-on-childhood-obesity
| Year | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Million | 158 | 206 | 254 |
Countries predicted to have the highest number of children and adolescents with obesity by 2030
This graph shows the countries predicted to have the highest number of children and adolescents (aged 5-19 years) with obesity by 2030. The World Obesity Federation warns that diseases linked to childhood obesity will overwhelm the health services of many countries.
World Obesity Federation (2019). Atlas of Childhood Obesity. London, England.
https://www.worldobesity.org/nlsegmentation/global-atlas-on-childhood-obesity
| Country | Predicted obese children |
|---|---|
| China | 61,987,920 |
| India | 27,481,141 |
| USA | 16,986,603 |
| Indonesia | 9,076,416 |
| Brazil | 7,664,422 |
| Egypt | 6,818,532 |
| Mexico | 6,550,276 |
| Nigeria | 6,020,182 |
| Pakistan | 5,412,457 |
| South Africa | 4,146,329 |