Transforming Food Systems for the Prevention of Childhood Overweight and Obesity in the Gulf Region

Background/Objectives: The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is increasing rapidly across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), threatening public health and economic sustainability. Drivers include increased availability and consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, physical inactivity, and pervasive marketing of unhealthy foods. This study used a secondary, framework-guided narrative synthesis of two regional reports to map child-relevant policy coverage, examine reported implementation barriers, and identify priorities for action across the six GCC countries.