According to newly released guideline from the World Health Organization (WHO), improving the quality of food environments in schools is critical to shaping healthy dietary habits and long-term well-being among children and adolescents worldwide. The guideline marks a significant global policy shift, as WHO, for the first time, calls on countries to adopt a comprehensive whole-school approach to ensure that all foods and beverages provided or available within and around schools are healthy, safe and nutritious. The guidance responds to the escalating double burden of malnutrition.
Childhood overweight and obesity continue to rise sharply across all regions, while undernutrition remains a persistent concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In 2025, an estimated 188 million school-aged children and adolescents, nearly one in ten globally, were living with obesity,…
