More than half of Spaniards admit to having extra kilos

A study of OPEN Group Spain points out that the 52.6% of Spaniards believe they have at least five extra kilosa figure that confirms an increasing trend in self-awareness about excess weight.

According to the report, prepared from more than 2,500 interviews with people between 18 and 65 years old, 57.7% of the population is overweightand within that group, 23.4% suffer from obesity. For the entity’s spokesperson, Francisco J. Tinahones, the change compared to previous studies is clear: “There is greater self-awareness of excess weight if we compare it with a decade ago.”

The data show that 11.3% consider that He has more than 20 kilos left overwhile almost one in four believes they are between five and ten kilos above their appropriate weight.

Regarding gender, men have higher levels of overweight than women, but this difference disappears when asking about self-perception of weight. 52.9% of women say they have 5 or more kilos extra, compared to 52.4% of men, when the percentage of men is higher.

Women have a greater perception of their weight than men. Source: BigStock.

Less income, more obesity

The study also focuses on a less visible aspect: the relationship between obesity and socioeconomic level. The lower the income level, the higher the prevalence of obesity. In the lowest sections, the figure doubles compared to the highest.

Training also influences. The people with basic education They have higher rates of obesity than those with university education. Added to this is greater difficulty for access employment. Among those who suffer from severe obesity, unemployment reaches 21.4%, almost double that of those with normal weight. “It is a clear penalty for people who are obese. In addition, they have more sick leave due to the disease,” said Dr. Susana Morenero.

Sadness and sleep problems

Beyond the physical, the report highlights the emotional impact of being overweight. Two out of three people with obesity admit to feeling sad or melancholichalf have problems sleeping and 41% live with a feeling of permanent tension. However, only 14.4% have received psychological support.

Morenero sums it up like this: “Obesity profoundly affects emotional well-being and self-esteem. Without a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach, it is very difficult to break that cycle and move towards changes that can be sustainable.”

Among those who suffer from severe obesity, almost half admit to having tried several diets without success. In fact, three out of ten have followed more than six throughout their lives. Most people decide to try to lose weight when physical discomfort or difficulties in moving normally appear.