Feeding Profit: how the food and drinks industry (FDI) is one of the key drivers of the global epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity

BMJ Paediatrics Open 2026 Open access

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Authors: Nick Spencer, Raul Gerardo Mercer, Luis Alberto Rajmil Rajmil, Lori Lake, Olaf Kraus de Camargo, Thecla Chinonyelum Ezeonu, O. S. Olatunya, Lulu Oguda, Άρτεμις Τσίτσικα, Azusa Iwamoto, Peter J Rohloff
DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2025-004084
Cited by: 1
References: 9

Abstract

U N I C E F has published a report entitled Feeding Profit: how food environments are failing children.1 Since the 1970s, the food environment in high-income countries (HICs) has undergone change with children’s increasing calorie consumption driving a rise in prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhood.2 Among HICs, this increase has been most marked in the USA where it has increased from 15% in 19722 to a plateau of around 40% in 2022, whereas during the same period, rates in other HICs plateaued around 30%.1 Rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have increased and show the most dramatic rise in rates such that globally, overweight/obesity has replaced underweight as the dominant form of malnutrition in children.1

Fields of Study & Subjects

Child Nutrition and Water Access Obesity Physical Activity Diet Nutrition Health and Society Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
BMJ Paediatrics Open
Publisher
BMJ
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
e004084–e004084
Publication date
1 January 2026
Language
EN