By Joke Kujenya
ACCESS TO nutritious food can shape lifelong dietary habits, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said as it released a global guideline on school food policies.
The guideline advises countries to adopt a whole-school approach ensuring that food and beverages provided in schools are healthy and nutritious.
JKNewsMedia.com reports WHO saying that childhood overweight and obesity are rising globally while undernutrition persists, creating a “double burden of malnutrition”.
It says that in 2025, about one in 10 school-aged children and adolescents, or 188 million, were living with obesity worldwide, surpassing for the first time the number of children who are underweight, the organisation reported.
Director-General, WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said the food children eat at school and the environments shaping their choices profoundly affect learning and long-term health.
He said getting nutrition right at school is critical for preventing disease later in life and creating healthier adults.
Ghebreyesus noted that healthy dietary practices begin early and that children spend a significant part of their day in school, making it a key setting for shaping lifelong eating habits and reducing health and nutrition inequities.
He also said that an estimated 466 million children worldwide receive school meals as of January 27, yet limited information exists on the nutritional quality of these meals.
The guideline recommends improving school food provision to promote greater consumption of foods and beverages that support healthy diets.
Recommendations include setting standards to increase the availability and consumption of healthy foods while limiting unhealthy options, alongside nudging interventions to encourage healthier choices.
“Nudging interventions may include changes in the placement, presentation or pricing of food options available to children,” Ghebreyesus said.
He also stressed that policies alone are insufficient, noting that monitoring and enforcement mechanisms are essential for effective implementation.
Data from the WHO Global Database on the Implementation of Food and Nutrition Action showed that as of October 2025, 104 member states had policies on healthy school food.
Nearly three-quarters of these policies include mandatory criteria guiding school food composition, but only 48 countries restrict the marketing of foods high in sugar, salt or unhealthy fats, Ghebreyesus added.
He said the guideline was developed by a multidisciplinary group of international experts through a rigorous, transparent, evidence-based process.
Ghebreyesus said it forms a cornerstone of WHO’s broader mission under initiatives such as the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity and the Nutrition-Friendly Schools Initiative.
He also added the guideline supports action at national and subnational levels, recognising the role of state and city authorities in advancing school food initiatives.
WHO said it will support member states through technical assistance, knowledge-sharing and collaboration to adapt and implement the guideline.
