Childhood Obesity in Pakistan: A Growing Threat

Childhood obesity in Pakistan has become a serious health concern. Recent studies show that nearly 19.4% of school-aged children in Pakistan are overweight, and about 10.7% are obese, figures that are increasing steadily.

Numbers You Should Know About Childhood Obesity in Pakistan

• According to a large cross-sectional study involving 4,108 Pakistani students (ages 9-17), 19.4% are overweight, while 10.7% are obese.
• In Lahore, among primary school children (ages 5-12), about 17% are overweight and 7.5% are obese. Children in private schools and urban high-income areas show much higher rates.
• In the Hazara Division, obesity affects around 4.78% of students aged 5-14.
• Another study found that overweight and obesity vary by gender, age, school type, and socioeconomic status: adolescents and girls tend to have higher rates, and urban and private school children are at greater risk.
  

What Is Causing the Rise?

Childhood obesity in Pakistan is growing because of several interlinked factors:

• Unhealthy food habits: Eating fast food often, skipping breakfast, and low fruit and vegetable intake.
  
• Sedentary lifestyles: More screen time, less physical activity in schools and at home.
• Socioeconomic and urban-rural differences: Children in urban areas and private schools, especially from higher-income households, show much higher overweight and obesity levels. 
• Gender and grade level: Older students (adolescents), girls in some studies, and students at higher grades are more likely to be obese.

Health Risks & Why Childhood Obesity Matters?

Childhood obesity isn’t just about weight. It brings serious short- and long-term risks:

• Increased chance of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart issues, and other non-communicable diseases.
• Mental health impacts: stigma, low self-esteem, and possibly depression.
• Long-term public health burden: More healthcare costs, strain on health systems.
• Inequalities: Children from poorer or rural areas may be undernourished; wealthier, urban children face obesity. Pakistan is dealing with a double burden of malnutrition.
  

What Are Experts Saying?

• A WHO official stated that although stunting and acute malnutrition remain serious in Pakistan, about 6-8% of school-aged children under 10 are now obese or overweight due to changing diets and low activity.
  
• Physicians in Multan claimed that 27% of children are overweight in that region, blaming screen time, fast-food consumption, and less physical activity.
  

What Should Be Done: Local Actions & Policy Measures

To halt and reverse the rise in childhood obesity in Pakistan, combined efforts are needed:

1. Promote healthy eating habits in households and schools
   Teach children about balanced meals. Encourage fruits and vegetables, limit sugary soft drinks and fast foods.
   
2. Increase opportunities for physical activity
   Schools must have better playgrounds and sports facilities. Communities should make walking/biking safer and more practical.
   
3. Regulate marketing and school food environments
   Limit advertising of junk food aimed at children. Ban or control the sale of high-sugar, high-fat snacks in school canteens.
   
4. Target high-risk groups
   Focus on urban areas, private schools, adolescents, and girls where obesity is rising faster. Tailored interventions for these groups will have more impact.
   
5. Raise awareness among parents and caregivers
   Parents must model healthy behavior: choosing good food, being active, and limiting screen time. Their habits strongly influence children.
   
6. Strengthen public health policy & social support
   Government and health authorities should monitor trends, gather good data, and support campaigns. Subsidize healthy foods, support low-income families.
   

The Urgency Is Clear

Childhood obesity in Pakistan is not just a health statistic; it’s a looming public health crisis. Without prompt action, the country faces a future with rising rates of chronic illness, higher medical costs, and worse quality of life for many. The double burden of undernutrition and obesity makes the problem more complex.

By targeting both ends, preventing undernutrition and curbing obesity, Pakistan can strive toward healthier children, healthier adults, and a healthier future. Schools, families, communities, and policymakers must act now.