Childhood obesity continues to pose a serious threat to children’s health across Europe, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report that found one in four young children are overweight and one in 10 are obese.
The findings, based on a survey of about 470,000 children aged six to nine across 37 European countries between 2022 and 2024, show that while obesity rates have stabilised in some regions, they remain alarmingly high. The situation is particularly severe in southern Europe, where nearly one in five children are living with obesity.
“Childhood overweight and obesity remain alarmingly high and continue to threaten the health of current and future generations,” said Kremlin Wickramasinghe, who leads work on nutrition, physical activity, and obesity at the WHO’s Europe office.
The report highlights stark health consequences linked to obesity, including a higher risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and stroke in adulthood. Overall, boys were found to be more likely to be obese than girls — 13 per cent compared to 9 per cent.
Researchers also collected detailed information from 150,000 families about lifestyle habits. The study found that many parents underestimate their children’s weight, with two-thirds of parents of overweight children believing their child was of normal or below-average weight.
Dietary patterns across Europe were a key concern. Only about one-third of children eat vegetables daily, while high consumption of sugary and processed foods was widespread. According to the data, 41 per cent of children eat sweets, 29 per cent drink sugary soft drinks, and 16 per cent consume savoury snacks more than three times a week.
Children from families with higher education levels tended to have healthier diets, while those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to consume unhealthy foods.
On physical activity and sleep, the report found encouraging signs — nearly all parents said their children were active for at least one hour per day, and 89 per cent of children slept for at least nine hours each night. However, these healthy habits are being undermined by high levels of screen time.
The survey revealed that 42 per cent of children spend at least two hours daily on screens during the week, rising to 78 per cent on weekends. Screen time was notably higher among boys and in families with lower education levels.
The WHO urged governments across Europe to take stronger action to tackle the issue, recommending measures such as taxes on sugary drinks and unhealthy foods, stricter nutritional standards for school meals, and initiatives to promote regular exercise.
Health officials warn that without urgent action, high obesity rates will continue to fuel a generation-wide public health crisis with serious long-term economic and social costs.
