The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns over the growing prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents worldwide, saying about 170 million people aged five to 19 were living with the condition in 2024.
The warning came as the global health body released its first comprehensive global guidelines for the integrated management of obesity among children and adolescents.
According to WHO, obesity among people aged five to 19 has quadrupled since 1990, increasing from about two per cent to eight per cent.
The new guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for health systems and healthcare workers to deliver timely, people-centred care to children and adolescents living with obesity.
WHO described obesity as a chronic condition that requires long-term management, warning that its effects can begin early in life and increase the risk of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The organisation also highlighted the social and psychological consequences of childhood obesity, noting that affected children and adolescents may experience stigma, discrimination and bullying.
Such experiences, it said, could negatively affect their mental and physical health, education, social relationships and overall quality of life.
Under the new recommendations, WHO strongly supports structured interventions involving healthy diets, physical activity and behaviour change. These interventions can be delivered individually or as part of a broader programme that combines several approaches.
Digital health interventions may also be used in some cases, provided they are appropriately supervised by parents or caregivers.
For children below the age of 10, WHO does not recommend the use of obesity medicines, bariatric surgery or weight-management devices as part of routine treatment.
For adolescents aged 10 to 19, approved medicines may be considered in specific circumstances where a supervised lifestyle programme has not achieved the desired results.
Bariatric surgery may also be considered for adolescents with severe obesity, but only under carefully controlled conditions and as part of specialist care.
WHO stressed that treatment should not focus solely on reducing a child’s weight.
Instead, the organisation said care should aim to improve overall health, physical functioning and well-being while taking into account the individual needs of children and their families.
The guidelines also recognise the connection between obesity and mental health.
WHO said conditions such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and difficulties managing emotions may contribute to unhealthy eating and physical inactivity, while bullying and stigma can further worsen emotional well-being.
Health workers are therefore encouraged to identify and address obesity and mental health concerns together, using approaches that are appropriate for the child’s age and involve families and caregivers.
WHO said governments must also look beyond medical treatment to tackle the factors driving the rise in childhood obesity.
It called for policies that make healthy food and opportunities for physical activity more accessible and affordable, alongside coordinated action in areas including education, transport, urban planning and social protection.
The new guidelines form part of WHO’s life-course approach to obesity management, complementing existing recommendations for adults and providing a framework for care from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood.
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