Human rights, childhood obesity and health inequalities

Despite progress in tackling childhood obesity, improvements have not been experienced equally everywhere or by everyone. The widespread, entrenched inequalities in childhood obesity between and within societies reflect the differences in the conditions in which communities live. These health inequalities are systematic, socially produced and unfair: they are caused by the unequal distribution of socioeconomic resources. Moreover, they are unnecessary and unjust, and offend against the human rights of children and their families. Corrective action is required as a matter of social justice to restore children’s autonomy, dignity and freedom in food choices. To this effect, the right to non-discrimination, and the rights to food and to health without discrimination, offer an effective avenue to promote the protection of children from the causes of inequalities in obesity. This chapter therefore explores the obligations on States to create an environment which grants every child the capacity to choose healthy food.