The fifth edition of the Nestlé-Finis Terrae Nutritional Observatory shows that 51% of Chilean schoolchildren have overweight or obesity, while 85% of parents believe their children have normal weight.
The data come from the study conducted by Nestlé, Universidad Finis Terrae and Ipsos, and are contrasted with the JUNAEB 2025 Nutritional Map, which indicates that only 43% of schoolchildren are in normal ranges.
24% of adolescents see their mental health affected by their physical condition, according to the report. Parents report an average of three hours daily in front of screens and only 3.5 hours weekly of physical activity.
25% of parents use food as a reward for their children, an increase of five percentage points since 2022. In addition, 21% mention the lack of healthy food supply as a barrier and 20% point to its high cost.
Karin Haddad Bendekovic, coordinator of the Master's in Educational Psychomotricity Applied to Education at U. Finis Terrae, warned that prevention requires decision and joint work among families, schools and institutions.