• WHO releases global guideline urging schools adopt whole‑school approach to healthy food. • Aim to curb rising childhood obesity while addressing persistent undernutrition. • Schools serve 466 million children; nutrition quality remains largely unknown. • WHO recommends setting standards to increase healthy food availability and limit unhealthy options. • Nudging interventions suggested to encourage healthier choices among students in schools. • Proper school nutrition can improve learning, reduce disease risk, and promote lifelong wellbeing.
Article Summaries:
- The World Health Organization has issued a new global guideline urging schools to adopt a “whole‑school” approach to nutrition. The policy recommends setting standards that increase healthy food availability while limiting unhealthy options, and encourages nudging tactics such as repositioning or pricing changes to promote better choices. WHO notes that 188 million children worldwide are now obese, surpassing the number of underweight children, and that 466 million children receive school meals, yet many lack nutritional quality data. As of October 2025, 104 member states have school‑food policies, but only 48 restrict marketing of high‑sugar, salt or fat foods. WHO will provide technical support to help countries implement and monitor these guidelines.
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