UNICEF Report: Childhood Obesity Rising In South Asia | A Growing Public Health Emergency

One in every ten children worldwide is obese, with 188 million affected in 2024, says UNICEF. In South Asia, childhood malnutrition and underweight rates remain high, but obesity is rising sharply, especially in cities across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Easy access to junk food, sugary drinks, and online delivery is fueling the crisis, putting children at risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses at younger ages. Experts call it a “double burden of malnutrition” — hunger in some homes, obesity in others. From banning sugary drinks in schools to warning labels on packaged foods, solutions exist, but will they be enough? And will India’s new 40% GST on sugary products really deter unhealthy consumption?