Economic inequalities mark health in Spain

67.4 percent of people 16 years or older with high income went to the dentist during 2025 in Spain, compared to 42.3 percent of those with low incomewhich represents a difference of almost 25 points.

This is indicated by the Living Conditions Survey (ECV), prepared by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) with the participation of 72,000 people. The data indicate that people with higher incomes also visited a specialist doctor more frequently in 2025 than those with low incomes (68.1% compared to 50.4%). However, The percentages show few differences in visits to the family doctor (79.3% in low-income households, compared to 81.2% in high-income households).

Overall, 81.3 percent of people aged 16 or older went to the family doctor in 2025, 58.7 percent visited a specialist and 55. percent went to the dentist in the 12 months prior to the interview. These percentages exceed those registered in 2022 by 3.7, 2.9 and 3.1 points, respectively.

In 2025, medical care expenses (family doctor or specialist) placed a heavy burden on 8.4 percent of householdsdown from 7.0 percent in 2022. The burden of drug spending decreased to 6.7 percent, from 6.9 percent in 2022.

For its part, The burden of dental care expenses increased 1.7 points, from 17.0 percent of households in 2022 to 18.7 percent in 2025. By income level, 7.9 percent of high-income households were heavily burdened by health care expenses, compared to 8.8 percent of low-income households.

The same happened with expenses for dental care or medications. Households with lower incomes were burdened more than those with high incomes: 20.2 percent versus 13.3 percent for dental care, and 8.5 percent versus 4.2 percent for medications.

Spaniards drink and smoke less, but eat less fruits and vegetables

People aged 16 and over in Spain drank less alcohol and smoked less in 2025; however, they also consumed fewer fruits and vegetables. So, 15 percent of the population report having smoked daily in 2025, up from 17.1 percent in 2022. For their part, 78.4 percent declare that they have not smoked in the last 12 months, a percentage slightly higher than the 76.6 percent registered in 2022.

Regarding alcohol consumption in the last year, a general decrease is observed. 5.6 percent of the population drank daily and 24.1 percent did so a few times a week, lower percentages than those recorded in 2022 (7.5% and 27.2%, respectively). The proportion of people who did not consume alcohol also increaseswhich goes from 31.3 percent in 2022 to 33.9 percent in 2025.

Depending on the income level, 15.9 percent of people with the lowest incomes were daily smokers in 2025, compared to 11.5 percent of people with the highest incomes. For their part, 4.8 percent of people with lower incomes consumed alcoholic beverages daily, compared to 6.5 percent of people with higher incomes.

Regarding food63.2 percent of people reported eating fruit daily in 2025, up from 67.1 percent in 2022. The consumption of vegetables, salads or legumes also decreases: 47.7 percent of the population claims to consume vegetables daily, 3.3 points less than in 2022.

Depending on the income level, people with higher incomes had a higher frequency of daily fruit consumption. (68.9%) than those with lower incomes (57.4%). The same occurred with the consumption of vegetables, salads or legumes (51.5% compared to 46.0%).

About obesityaffected 14.7 percent of the population aged 16 and over in 2025, the same percentage as in 2022. 35.8 percent were overweightone tenth more than in 2022. By income level, obesity affected people with low incomes more (17.3%) than those with high incomes (10.8%). Similarly, overweight affected people with low incomes more (36.9%) than people with high incomes (33.3%).