It's a Grim Outlook for Kids' Obesity Rates

A new forecast says the world is on track to have more children living with obesity than ever. The World Obesity Federation's 2026 atlas projects that by 2040, about 227 million kids and teens ages 5 to 19 will be considered obese, up from roughly 180 million last year, per the Guardian. More than 500 million in that age bracket are expected to be overweight by 2040. The group warns that at least 120 million school-age children could show early signs of chronic illness tied to high BMI, such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

China, India, and the US account for the largest numbers of affected children, with 2 in 5 American kids already said to be overweight or obese. Harvard nutrition professor David Ludwig calls a recent CDC report on the US' record childhood obesity rates "exceptionally concerning." The UK, meanwhile, has a record 3.8 million children with a high BMI and is forecast to see hundreds of thousands with early cardiovascular problems by 2040.

Experts frame the issue as a policy failure, not necessarily an individual one, pointing to food marketing, sugary products, and sedentary lifestyles. They're now pushing for sugar taxes, tighter restrictions on junk food advertising, and mandatory limitations on front-of-pack labeling—steps they say require governments to resist industry pressure. The UK government notes it's rolling out ad curbs and giving local councils more power to restrict fast-food outlets near schools.