Childhood obesity becomes a global epidemic

KidsRights Index 18 June 2026

The KidsRights Index research shows that 391 million school-age children are currently overweight. This is double the number from the start of this century. And behind that number is something even more uncomfortable. This is not only a health crisis. It is a child rights crisis. One that governments are legally obligated to address, and are largely failing to.

Who is most affected? Why is blaming families and individuals not just wrong but actively harmful? And what does the law actually require of the countries that ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

Our new longread digs into all of it. Read about the systems that are failing children, the data gaps that should not exist in 2026, and why young people themselves need to be part of the solution.

391 million school-age children are currently living with overweight. This is double the number from the start of this century.

KidsRights Index 2026

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Want to go deeper? The full KidsRights Index 2025 ranks every country on how well it respects and protects children’s rights. How well does your country rank?

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