Humanity has so thoroughly banished hunger that, as of this year, there are more obese kids than there are underweight kids.

Yes — that statement is basically true, and recent data supports it. Below is a summary with context.

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✅ What the data shows globally

According to UNICEF, in 2025 for the first time ever, more children and adolescents (ages 5–19) worldwide are obese than underweight. 

The report shows obesity among this age group reached 9.4%, while underweight dropped to 9.2%. 

In absolute numbers, that translates to roughly 188 million children and adolescents worldwide living with obesity. 

At the same time, underweight among 5–19-year-olds — once much more common — has been steadily falling for decades (from ~13 % in 2000 to 9.2 % in 2025). 

So yes — globally speaking, the balance has tipped: overweight/obesity among children is now more widespread than underweight.

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⚠️ What this DOES – and DOES NOT – mean

✔️ What it does mean

There has truly been a global nutrition shift: fewer children are suffering from under-nutrition (lack of sufficient calories), and more children are experiencing over-nutrition or unbalanced diets (excess calories + poor diet quality).

“Malnutrition” today must be understood more broadly than just “not enough food” — it now includes both under- and over-nutrition, and the new data reflects that dual burden. 

The rise in childhood obesity reflects changes in food systems: increased availability, affordability and marketing of calorie-dense, processed, nutrient-poor foods. 

⚠️ What it does not automatically mean

It doesn’t mean “hunger is gone everywhere.” Many children — especially younger than age 5, and especially in poor or conflict-affected areas — remain undernourished, stunted or wasted. The global shift refers to school-age children/adolescents (5–19), not all children. 

“Obese” does not mean “well-nourished.” Many children may be overweight due to high-calorie, nutrient-poor diets; they may still lack essential vitamins or protein (a phenomenon sometimes referred to as “hidden hunger”).

This is a global statistical shift — specific countries or regions may still have many undernourished children. According to UNICEF, obesity has now outpaced underweight except in certain regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. 

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💡 What this shift implies for Humanity

Global development must now address not just lack of food — but unhealthy food. Nutrition policy, school feeding programs, public-health initiatives need to focus on quality (balanced diet) and not just calorie sufficiency.

The “double burden” of malnutrition (undernutrition + obesity) is now real in many countries: some children may suffer stunting or micronutrient deficiencies, while others — even in the same community — suffer from obesity.

Tackling childhood obesity early is crucial — because childhood obesity greatly increases the risk of chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, etc.) later in life.

Addressing food environments — limiting ultra-processed junk food, improving access to fresh and nutritious food, better regulation and public awareness — becomes a global priority for child health.

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So yes — humanity has made enormous progress in reducing under-nutrition, but at the same time, we've swapped one problem for another: rising childhood obesity and diet-related disease.