WHO urges schools worldwide to promote healthy eating for children

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries to strengthen healthy eating in schools, warning that school food environments play a critical role in shaping children’s lifelong dietary habits and health.

The call follows the release of a new global guideline recommending a whole-school approach to nutrition, ensuring that all food and drinks provided in and around schools are healthy and nutritious. The guidance aims to address rising rates of childhood overweight and obesity, while also recognising the ongoing challenge of undernutrition.

In 2025, around 1 in 10 school-aged children and adolescents - an estimated 188 million globally - were living with obesity, exceeding the number of children who are underweight for the first time. WHO says schools are on the front line of this growing double burden of malnutrition.

The guideline recommends setting clear standards to increase access to healthy foods and limit unhealthy options, alongside “nudging” interventions such as changes to food placement, presentation or pricing to encourage healthier choices.

While 104 countries now have policies on healthy school food, WHO highlights that fewer than half restrict the marketing of foods high in sugar, salt or unhealthy fats - stressing that strong monitoring and enforcement are essential to ensure policies deliver real impact for children’s health.