EPISODE · Mar 4, 2026 · 20 MIN
#11 | WHO Urges Schools Worldwide to Promote Healthy Eating for Children
from The Georgian Medical Journal Podcast
In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal, we examine the World Health Organization’s call for schools worldwide to promote healthier food environments for children.Child nutrition is increasingly recognized as a critical global health challenge. According to WHO data, 188 million children worldwide are living with obesity, while millions more still suffer from undernutrition. This situation reflects what experts describe as the “double burden of malnutrition,” where obesity and undernutrition exist simultaneously within many countries and communities.Schools play a central role in shaping children’s eating habits. Every day, approximately 466 million children receive meals in schools worldwide, making school food systems one of the most powerful platforms for improving child nutrition and long-term health outcomes.The WHO urges governments and education systems to adopt stronger school food policies that encourage healthy diets and reduce exposure to unhealthy products high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.Key recommendations discussed in this episode include:• Establishing mandatory nutrition standards for school meals• Limiting sugar, salt and ultra-processed foods in school environments• Restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children• Using behavioral approaches to encourage healthier choices• Implementing a whole-school approach that integrates nutrition into the educational environmentImproving school food systems can help prevent childhood obesity, reduce diet-related diseases and support healthier populations in the future.Original WHO source discussed in this episode:https://www.who.int/news/item/27-01-2026-who-urges-schools-worldwide-to-promote-healthy-eating-for-childrenThe GMJ Podcast accompanies peer-reviewed publications and global health policy discussions featured in the Georgian Medical Journal, supporting structured academic dialogue on key issues in medicine and public health.#გიორგიფხაკაძე #drpkhakadze #sheniekimi
What this episode covers
In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal, we examine the World Health Organization’s call for schools worldwide to promote healthier food environments for children.Child nutrition is increasingly recognized as a critical global health challenge. According to WHO data, 188 million children worldwide are living with obesity, while millions more still suffer from undernutrition. This situation reflects what experts describe as the “double burden of malnutrition,” where obesity and undernutrition exist simultaneously within many countries and communities.Schools play a central role in shaping children’s eating habits. Every day, approximately 466 million children receive meals in schools worldwide, making school food systems one of the most powerful platforms for improving child nutrition and long-term health outcomes.The WHO urges governments and education systems to adopt stronger school food policies that encourage healthy diets and reduce exposure to unhealthy products high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.Key recommendations discussed in this episode include:• Establishing mandatory nutrition standards for school meals• Limiting sugar, salt and ultra-processed foods in school environments• Restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children• Using behavioral approaches to encourage healthier choices• Implementing a whole-school approach that integrates nutrition into the educational environmentImproving school food systems can help prevent childhood obesity, reduce diet-related diseases and support healthier populations in the future.Original WHO source discussed in this episode:https://www.who.int/news/item/27-01-2026-who-urges-schools-worldwide-to-promote-healthy-eating-for-childrenThe GMJ Podcast accompanies peer-reviewed publications and global health policy discussions featured in the Georgian Medical Journal, supporting structured academic dialogue on key issues in medicine and public health.#გიორგიფხაკაძე #drpkhakadze #sheniekimi
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#11 | WHO Urges Schools Worldwide to Promote Healthy Eating for Children
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