The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new global guidelines aimed at promoting healthy eating habits among children in schools. The guidelines advocate for a whole-school approach, emphasizing that food and beverages offered at schools and within the surrounding school environments should be nutritious and healthy.
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With childhood overweight and obesity rates increasing globally, WHO highlights the vital role schools play in addressing this double burden of malnutrition. In 2025, an estimated 188 million school-aged children and adolescents are projected to be living with obesity worldwide, surpassing the number of children who are underweight for the first time.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated, "The food children eat at school, and the environments that shape what they eat, can have a profound impact on their learning, and lifelong consequences for their health and well-being." He emphasized the importance of improving school nutrition to help prevent long-term health issues.
Currently, approximately 466 million children benefit from school meals globally, though there is limited data on the nutritional quality of these meals. WHO's guidelines recommend that schools enhance their food offerings to encourage healthier dietary choices. This includes setting standards for the availability and consumption of healthy foods while limiting unhealthy options, as well as implementing nudging interventions that encourage children to choose healthier items.
Funding and enforcing monitoring mechanisms are deemed essential to ensure adherence to these guidelines. As of October 2025, 104 Member States had policies in place regarding healthy school food, with nearly three-quarters enforcing mandatory criteria for school meals. However, only 48 countries restrict the marketing of unhealthy food options high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.
To develop these guidelines, WHO collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of international experts, ensuring a rigorous and evidence-based process. This initiative is part of WHO’s broader mission to foster healthy food environments, contributing to global efforts to combat obesity and enhance school nutrition.
The WHO will support Member States in implementing the guidelines through technical assistance and collaboration. To celebrate the guidelines' launch, a global webinar is scheduled for 27 January 2026.