On World Obesity Day 2023 WHO/Europe highlights five trends concerning overweight and obesity among primary school-aged children in the European Region. 

The WHO data used to identify trends come from the latest (fifth) round of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), which took place between 2018 and 2020, and to which 33 countries contributed data. In total, almost 411 000 children were measured.

Fact one: every third child is living with overweight or obesity

Twenty-nine per cent of children aged 7–9 years in the countries collecting data for COSI round 5 were found to be living with overweight (including obesity, according to WHO definitions).

Fact two: overweight and obesity are more prominent among boys

Overall, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among boys is 31%, while among girls it is 28%.

In the 16 countries where COSI data were collected for more than one age group, the prevalence of obesity increased with age among boys.