https://arab.news/maymu
Millions of children in the Arab world are growing up without the nourishment they need to survive, learn and thrive. As 2030 approaches, the region stands at a decisive crossroads. Achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals on ending hunger, ensuring food security and improving nutrition will require urgent, concerted policy action.
Arab countries are contending with the dual challenge of persistent undernutrition among vulnerable groups and rising rates of overweight and obesity. According to a report published by UNICEF in 2024, only one in every three young children receive the diverse, nutritious foods needed for healthy growth and development. As a consequence, nearly one in five children, or about 10 million in total, are stunted, while 3.5 million suffer from life-threatening wasting.
At the same time, unhealthy diets have increasingly led to high rates of overweight and obese children, adolescents and mothers. Contributing factors include the widespread availability of cheap, nutrient-poor foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat, and the growing prevalence of unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles. UNICEF reports that the Arab world now has the highest prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity worldwide, with 5 million children under five affected. Among school-age children and adolescents, one in three, about 50 million, are living with overweight or obesity, and in 18 countries rates exceed the global average of 20 percent.
