Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your upsc current affairs knowledge nugget on the UNICEF report on obesity. A UNICEF report, released last week, has cited National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data to flag an alarming surge in obesity among children and adolescents between 2006 and 2021. What is particularly worrying is that the number of overweight children below the age of five has more than doubled in these 15 years.Key takeaways:1. UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Global Report 2025, titled ‘Feeding Profit: How food environments are failing children’, has pointed out that obesity has, for the first time, surpassed underweight globally as the most common form of malnutrition among school-aged children and adolescents. Today, one in ten children worldwide, nearly 188 million, live with obesity.2. The Report describes the role of food environments in exposing children and adolescents to a constant supply of cheap and aggressively marketed ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, while failing to make nutritious options available and affordable. It also explains how the lack of effective policies leaves countries unprepared to safeguard children and adolescents from these harmful food environments.3. According to the NFHS data, in India, the number of overweight children below the age of five has more than doubled between 2006 and 2021, rising by 127 per cent (from 1.5 per cent to 3.4 per cent between NFHS 3 (2005-06) to NFHS 5 (2019-21). India has already broken into the top five countries in terms of adult obesity in the past few years.4. According to the UNICEF prediction, India is expected to be home to over 27 million children and adolescents (5 to 19 years) living with obesity by 2030. It will account for 11 per cent of the global burden.5. The UNICEF report has also flagged that the nutrition deficits among children are often carryovers of the poor dietary practices of their mothers. “Social and gender norms whereby adolescent girls and women often eat least and last, exacerbate the problem,” it points out.Story continues below this ad6. According to the NFHS-5, 36 per cent of children under five are stunted, and a meagre 11 per cent who are breastfed between the ages of 6 months and 23 months receive an adequate diet. Fifty-seven per cent of women in the 15-49 age group are anaemic.7. Ultra-processed foods, usually loaded with unhealthy fats and high in sugar and salt, are increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables, and traditional diets. “Aggressive and targeted marketing campaigns, along with easy availability, are influencing food choices for children and adolescents,” the report points out.8. According to the Indian Economic Survey 2024-25, Ultra Processed Food (UPF) consumption in India surged from USD 900 million (2006) to USD 37.9 billion (2019), growing at over 33% annually. Between 2011-2021, retails sales of UPFs grew at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.7 per cent.How is Obesity measured?Obesity, as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that poses health risks. A person with a BMI of less than 18.5 is considered to be underweight, a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered to be normal, those with BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered to be overweight, while those with BMI over 30 are considered to be obese.Story continues below this adRecently, the Lancet medical journal’s Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission proposed a new definition and method for diagnosing obesity. The new definition broadens the meaning of obesity to take into account a number of physical parameters such as height, weight, and waist circumference, as well as things such as muscle mass, and the functioning of various organs.9. The UNICEF report has provided eight recommendations that require actions across the food, health, water and sanitation, education, and social protection systems.* Implement the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions to protect and promote breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding.* Implement comprehensive, mandatory measures to transform food environments for children and adolescents.* Implement comprehensive policies to improve the availability and affordability of locally produced nutritious foods for children and adolescents.Story continues below this ad* Establish robust safeguards to protect public policy processes from interference by the ultra- processed food industry.* Implement social and behaviour change initiatives that empower families and communities to claim their right to healthy food environments.* Strengthen social protection programmes to address income poverty and increase children’s access to nutritious and healthy diets through social transfers (food, cash, vouchers) and other forms.* Engage young people in public policymaking on food justice by fostering youth-led advocacy.Story continues below this ad* Strengthen global and national data and surveillance systems to monitor food environments, diets and overweight among children and adolescents using standardized indicators and data collection methods.BEYOND THE NUGGET: Steps taken by the government to nudge youngsters towards healthy dietary practices1. Fit India Movement: Launched in 2019, Fit India Movement is a nation-wide campaign to encourage citizens to take up physical activity and sports in their daily life.2. Eat Right India campaign: It was launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in 2018. It focuses on promoting a culture of safe, healthy and sustainable food processes.To develop our capabilities and talents, we must first pay attention to our fitness and well-being. Do you remember my suggestion for reducing obesity? Reduce oil in food by 10%, reduce excess weight. When you are fit, you will be superhit in your life.(Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted in his June 29, 2025, Mann Ki Baat address)Story continues below this ad3. POSHAN Abhiyaan: Launched in 2018, POSHAN Abhiyaan is a flagship scheme to transform Bharat’s nutritional landscape. Mission Poshan 2.0, launched in 2023, seeks to address the challenges of malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers. It focuses on diet diversity, food fortification, and popularizing use of millets.In March this year, the Union government has advised states to reduce the usage of cooking oil by 10% in the mid-day meal programme in all government and aided schools under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) scheme.Post Read QuestionWhich of the following organisations has released the Child Nutrition Global Report 2025?(a) Save the Children(b) UNICEF(c) WEF(d) Child Rights International NetworkAnswer key(b)(Sources: From the Opinions Editor | UNICEF report has a message: India faces an obesity epidemic, unicef.org, Ministry of Women and Child Development)Story continues below this adSubscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Anniversary Special: Read the UPSC Essentials September 2025 special edition, celebrating two years of the magazine! 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