Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity Among Under‐Five Children in Lower Middle‐Income Countries and Assessment of the Reported Associated Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors' conclusion
Trends in childhood overnutrition in LMICs are concerning, with overall prevalence approaching estimates of those reported in a few high-income nations. Geographic variability, gender disparity and association with maternal education emphasise the need for region-specific policies, focusing on community engagement and awareness towards rising overnutrition.
Study context
- Population
- Under-five children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); community-based studies published April 2014–202421 studies
- Outcome
- Pooled prevalence of overweight/obesity
Methodological detailsrandom-effect model, community-based studies, subgroup analyses, meta-regression, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) quality assessment, PubMed, Scopus and EMBASE searched
- Random-effect model
- Community-based studies
- Subgroup analyses
- Meta-regression
- JBI quality assessment
- PubMed, Scopus and EMBASE searched
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Pooled prevalence
8.57%
95% CI 5.24–12.63; I2 100%p<0.01
Further pooled results
Maternal education secondary or higher and child overweight/obesity
| OR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mothers with secondary education or higher4 studies | 1.51 (1.21–1.88) | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | Boys | Girls | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevalence by gender | 6.89% | 4.75% | 1.48 (1.08–2.04) | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
Prevalence by period
- 2014-2018
- 7.43%
- 2019-2023
- 9.12%
Prevalence by geographic region
- African region (highest)
- 17%
- Southeast Asian region (lowest)
- 3.41%
- Varied significantly across geography
Other factors (residence, maternal body weight, income, breastfeeding)
- Significant associations in individual studies; meta-analysis not performed due to heterogeneity
Original publication
Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity Among Under‐Five Children in Lower Middle‐Income Countries and Assessment of the Reported Associated Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Pediatr Obes. Published 14 September 2025. doi:10.
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