A survey conducted by the Ministry of Health has found that 12% of schoolchildren are overweight, while 3% are obese, primarily due to unhealthy dietary habits.
The Director of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, Specialist Dr. Monika Wijeratne said the findings are concerning, particularly given the country’s declining population growth rate.
She made the remarks while presenting data from the 2024 Global School-Based Health Survey, which focused on children aged between 13 and 17 years.
According to the survey, 12% of students were identified as overweight and 3% as obese. It also highlighted significant concerns regarding students’ eating habits.
Dr. Wijeratne stated that 17.04% of schoolchildren consume carbonated soft drinks daily, while 28.05% consume high-salt foods, 29% consume high-fat foods, and 41% consume high-sugar foods at least once or more per day.
She further noted that Sri Lanka’s population growth rate has declined from 1.9 to 1.3, describing it as an additional national concern alongside rising non-communicable health risks among children.
