80 million children, one healthier start: UNICEF and Novo Nordisk expand their prevention partnership

Kitty van der Heijden of UNICEF calls it a turning point: for the first time on record, childhood obesity has overtaken underweight worldwide, affecting about 1 in 10 school-aged children. In response, UNICEF and Novo Nordisk are expanding their partnership for four more years, committing $18 million from 2026 to 2030 to help governments in seven priority countries — Mexico, Colombia, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Egypt and Kenya — build healthier food environments, schools and health services. The goal is a healthier start in life for more than 80 million children.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: institutional program