2023-11-21 09:45:19
According to a survey carried out by the Spanish Obesity Society (SEEDO), 74% of the surveyed population agrees that society discriminates against overweight or obese people. Three out of four Spaniards, on the other hand, feel discriminated against because of their weight.
He Overweight and obesity are very common diseases in Spain and they have a very negative stigma, in fact, some discriminatory attitudes become chronic. All this results from the survey carried out by the Spanish Obesity Society (SEEDO) to a thousand Spaniards by telephone.
The obesity and overweight They mainly affect younger men. The questionnaire focuses above all on the social stigma of obesity. The results are worrying, since it is a health problem that continues to advance among the Spanish population.
In fact, the most recent figures indicate that, in 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported an obesity rate in adults in Spain of 23.8%, while 37.8% of adults In our country they were overweight. This SEEDO survey shows that 34.7% of those surveyed are overweight and 17.6% obese, together affecting more than half of society (52.3%).
EFE/Antonio Lacerda
The reality in Spain
He Body mass index (BMI) considers that weight is normal when the range is between 18.5 and 25.0 kg per square meter. In Spain, the Average BMI is currently 26.8 kg/m2.
“Obesity data among the youngest (between 18 and 34 years old), as well as the greater presence of overweight/obesity among men, who register an average BMI around 3 points higher than that observed in women,” details Lilliam Flores, member of the Board of Directors of SEEDO. He also adds that “the obesity figures may be even higher than those collected in our survey, since it is customary to give a lower weight and a larger size than the real ones when the population is asked.”
Self-perception
In addition to the objective values, this survey has evaluated the subjective perception of the people who have participated in it. The truth is that no major differences between sexes have been evident. Although the obesity rate is higher in men than in women, an increase in the perception of excess weight is also observed as age advances. In this way, it is people over 65 years old who generally consider themselves to be overweight.
On the other hand, it is notable that the majority of people surveyed consider that genetics and the environment play a very important role in obesity and overweight. Furthermore, the results of the survey indicate that people with obesity generally tend to have close people who are also obese, such as their mother (20.3%) or their siblings (23.7%).
Notable figures from the survey
In the survey we found quite remarkable results, especially depending on the age and sex of the person. Thus, we realize that the increase in obesity continues among the youngest (the 18 to 34 age group). In 2023 the obesity rate among young people will reach 10%.
Another notable result is that women are the ones with the highest percentage of underweight and also the lowest average BMI.
Based on the body mass index, individuals have been classified into the categories of “underweight”, “normal weight”, “overweight” and “obese”. The truth is that the results of the survey show that BMI increases as age also increases. Thus, young people between 18 and 34 have an average BMI of 22.9, while adults between 55 and 64 have an average BMI of 30.
In addition to this, if we compare these results with those of the same survey carried out in 2022, we find that the increase in obesity cases among the youngest continues to increase. While obesity in young people in 2022 was 7%, in 2023 it will reach 9.3%.
Choosing healthy foods, maintaining healthy habits and doing regular physical exercise are key to maintaining Christmas. EFE/ Sara Mancebo
Discrimination and stigma
The SEEDO survey shows the deepening and maintenance of the stigma and discrimination associated with excess weight. In fact, almost a third of parents with children who are obese or overweight think that their children are bullied for this reason.
As highlighted by Dr. Albert Lecube, vice president of the SEEDO“among those who have children who are overweight or obese, almost 3 out of 10 declare that the minors suffer discrimination”
This also causes a great emotional impact: more than 70% of parents are very or quite concerned about this aspect. In contrast, nearly a third of people with children say that it would bother them if their children’s friends were overweight or obese.
Between illness and lack of control
Obesity is a disease whose chronicity and recurrence have been proven.
However, despite this, and despite the great role that genetics and the environment play in the development of the disease, up to 41% of the people surveyed still continue to think that it is a problem of “lack of will.” This is largely why the stigma towards these pathologies is perpetuated.
Because of these stigmas and prejudices, obesity and overweight are placed as the exclusive responsibility of the patient. As shown in the survey results, there are clear gender differences in this perception: 49% of men compared to 34% of women believe that obesity is due to a lack of control.
Along the same lines, 70.2% of those surveyed consider that eating less and exercising more is enough to treat overweight or obesity; Again, women and younger people agree less with this statement. Dr. Lecube, in this sense, insists that “we must stop blaming the person with obesity. Obesity is not a moral disease, it is not a choice of the individual themselves. “You don’t choose obesity, obesity chooses you.”
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