India, March 4 -- The World Obesity Federation has warned on Wednesday that the world was set to miss the 2025 global target to halt the rise in childhood obesity. And despite the deadline now being extended to 2030, most countries remain off track.

According to the World Obesity Atlas 2026, released on World Obesity Day (4 March), more than one in five (20.7 per cent) 5-19 year-olds worldwide are living with obesity and overweight - an increase from 14.6 per cent in 2010. World Obesity Federation predicts that by 2040, a total of 507 million children will be living with overweight or obesity.

World Obesity Federation chief executive Johanna Ralston said: "The increase in childhood obesity worldwide shows we have failed to take seriousl...