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South Africa Fights Childhood Obesity with Healthy Food

South Africa Fights Childhood Obesity with Healthy FoodSaralnama

Kairos School in Randburg, South Africa serves vegetarian meals to combat childhood obesity. The UN reports overweight children aged 5-9 increased from 69 million to 147 million globally. South Africa faces high obesity rates, with 22% of children under five overweight. Fast food's popularity contributes to the problem. The government plans to introduce front-of-pack nutrition labelling and restrict marketing of unhealthy foods to children. Unicef advises improving access to nutritious local food. Some schools and parents are taking steps to promote healthier eating habits, but challenges remain in changing the food environment. (Updated 10 Sep 2025, 17:20 IST; source: link)

Key Points

  • Kairos School in Randburg, South Africa serves vegetarian meals to combat childhood obesity
  • The UN reports overweight children aged 5-9 increased from 69 million to 147 million globally
  • South Africa faces high obesity rates, with 22% of children under five overweight