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WHO: School food guidelines needed for health crisis
29 Jan
Summary
- 188 million school-aged children worldwide to live with obesity by 2025.
- WHO urges 'whole school approach' for healthy food environments.
- Undernutrition and obesity present a double burden in schools.
By 2025, a concerning 188 million school-aged children worldwide are projected to be living with obesity, marking the first time this figure exceeds the number of underweight children. The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines advocating for a comprehensive 'whole school approach' to create healthier food environments.
These guidelines strongly recommend that countries implement evidence-based policies and interventions to ensure that all food and beverages provided within schools and their surrounding environments are nutritious and healthy. The WHO highlights schools as crucial settings for shaping lifelong dietary habits.
Recognizing that approximately 466 million children receive school meals globally, the WHO stresses the need for improved nutritional quality. The organization also recommends setting clear standards to increase healthy food availability and consumption while limiting unhealthy options through conditional encouragement of healthier choices.
