The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new global guideline urging countries to promote healthy eating in schools, emphasizing evidence-based policies and interventions to create nutritious school food environments. For the first time, WHO recommends a whole-school approach that ensures the food and beverages provided in schools, and available throughout the broader school environment, support healthy dietary habits that can last a lifetime.
Childhood overweight and obesity are rising globally, while undernutrition remains a persistent challenge, placing schools on the front line of this double burden. In 2025, approximately 1 in 10 school-aged children and adolescents—188 million—were living with obesity worldwide, surpassing for the first time the number of underweight children. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the food children consume at school and the environments shaping their choices have profound impacts on learning, health, and lifelong well-being.
Schools are critical settings for shaping lifelong dietary habits and reducing health and nutrition inequities, as children spend a significant portion of their day there. An estimated 466 million children receive school meals globally, but data on the nutritional quality of these meals remain limited. The guideline recommends improving food provision in schools by increasing the availability and consumption of healthy foods while limiting unhealthy options. It also encourages the use of nudging interventions, such as changing the placement, presentation or pricing of food options, to promote healthier choices among children.
WHO stresses that policies alone are insufficient without monitoring and enforcement to ensure consistent implementation. As of October 2025, 104 Member States had policies on healthy school food, with nearly three-quarters including mandatory criteria for the composition of school meals. However, only 48 countries had policies restricting marketing of foods high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats, highlighting the need for stronger regulatory measures.
The guideline was developed through a rigorous, evidence-based process by a multidisciplinary group of international experts. It is a key component of WHO’s broader initiatives to create healthier food environments, including the acceleration plan to stop obesity and the nutrition-friendly schools initiative. The guideline supports action at both national and local levels, recognizing the important role of subnational and city authorities in advancing school food initiatives.
To support implementation, WHO will provide technical assistance, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative opportunities for Member States. The guideline’s launch will be marked by a global webinar on 27 January 2026, offering guidance for schools and policymakers worldwide to promote healthier diets for children.
