WHO Sets Global Standards for Healthy School Meals

A young child attends school in Burera District, Rwanda.

For the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued recommendations for healthy and nutritious food in schools worldwide.

The UN agency’s new global guidance on evidence-based policies and interventions highlights that healthy food in schools can help children develop lifelong healthy dietary habits.

“The food children eat at school, and the environments that shape what they eat, can have a profound impact on their learning and lifelong health and well-being,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

Food habits start early

Childhood obesity is rising globally, while undernutrition remains a persistent challenge. Obesity levels among children surpassed underweight cases worldwide for the first time in 2025.

Last year, around one in 10 school-aged children and adolescents were living with obesity, and one in five—or 391 million—were overweight. Additionally, a recent WHO report revealed that diabetes now affects over 800 million people globally and one in six pregnancies.

As of October 2025, 104 Member States had policies related to healthy school food, but only 48 countries had policies restricting the marketing of foods high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.

For the millions of children who spend a large part of their day at school, the food environment can strongly influence their future dietary habits.

“Getting nutrition right at school is critical for preventing disease later in life and creating healthier adults,” Tedros said.

More pulses, less sugar

WHO recommends increasing the availability of healthy foods and beverages while reducing unhealthy options. This includes limiting free sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, while offering more whole grains, fruits, nuts, and pulses.

Other recommendations include implementing ‘nudging interventions’—changes in packaging, placement, or portion sizes designed to encourage children to choose healthier foods.

The organisation will support countries with technical assistance, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative measures to implement the new guidance.