PETALING JAYA: More than 2.8 million school-aged children in Malaysia are overweight or living with obesity, according to the World Obesity Federation (WOF), raising concerns about a surge in early chronic diseases as the world falls short of targets to curb the crisis.
The group warned that global efforts to halt the rise in childhood obesity have largely failed, with countries now expected to miss the original 2025 target, despite the deadline being extended to 2030.
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According to the World Obesity Atlas 2026, released on World Obesity Day on Wednesday, more than 2.85 million Malaysians aged five to 19 were estimated to be overweight or living with obesity in 2025.
If current trends continue, WOF said the number is projected to exceed 3.1 million by 2040, putting more children at risk of serious health conditions typically associated with adults.
The report estimates that by 2040, 305,000 Malaysian children could show early signs of hypertension, while 382,000 may develop symptoms linked to cardiovascular disease.
Globally, WOF predicts that by 2040, 507 million children will be overweight, highlighting what it describes as a growing public health failure.
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“The increase in childhood obesity worldwide shows we have failed to take seriously a disease that affects one in five children.
“Governments urgently need to step up prevention and management efforts for children living with overweight and obesity, and ensure they receive the care they need,” said WOF chief executive officer Johanna Ralston in a statement on Wednesday.
The South-East Asia region is expected to experience one of the fastest growths in childhood obesity.
WOF projects that by 2040, 40 million children aged five to 19 could be living with obesity in the region, while those with high body mass index may total 101 million.
The Atlas found that global efforts to tackle childhood obesity remain inadequate, with many countries falling short on policies related to prevention, monitoring, screening and treatment.
WOF urged governments to implement stronger measures, including taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, restrictions on marketing unhealthy food to children, improved school nutrition standards, and better integration of obesity prevention and care within primary healthcare systems.
Ralston said policies that create healthier environments for children are already proven to work.
“We know that taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks and limits on advertising unhealthy food to children work, alongside greater access to physical activity and monitoring that starts in primary care.
“It is not right to condemn a generation to obesity and the chronic, potentially fatal non-communicable diseases that often accompany it,” she added.
