WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted: "The quality of food that children receive in educational institutions, as well as the environment that shapes their eating behavior, play a key role in their learning and have a long-term impact on health and overall well-being."
Global Concern
According to published data, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children continues to rise worldwide, while malnutrition remains a serious issue."Last year, one in ten children and adolescents of school age suffered from obesity, and 391 million children were overweight," WHO reported. The new report also indicated that more than 800 million people worldwide, including one in six pregnant women, suffer from diabetes.
As of October 2025, 104 WHO member countries have implemented policies related to healthy eating in schools; however, only 48 of them have introduced restrictions on the advertising of products high in sugar, salt, or harmful fats, the report states.
For millions of students who spend most of their time in educational institutions, the school food environment shapes their future eating habits.
The head of WHO emphasized that "adequate nutrition in schools is an important factor in disease prevention and the formation of a healthier generation."
Nutrition Priorities
WHO calls for increasing the availability of healthy foods and beverages for children while simultaneously reducing the amount of harmful options. This includes reducing sugar, trans fats, and salt in diets and increasing the proportion of whole grains, fruits, nuts, and legumes.The organization also plans to provide technical assistance to countries for implementing the new recommendations, sharing experiences, and developing other forms of cooperation.
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