OBESITY IN SPAIN PUTS PRESSURE ON THE SPANISH NATIONAL HEALTH BILL

A NEW REPORT suggests an alarming rise of obesity in Spain and with it an increase to the Spanish National Health Bill.

There are 18 million people in Spain who suffer from overweight or obesity.

Experts estimate that more than half of the Spanish population between 25 and 64 years old are overweight or obese, 39.3% and 21.6% respectively, being more common in men than in women.

Recent data has been taken from the report “Approach to obesity and bariatric surgery” by the Professional Services Firm EY (formerly Ernst & Young) with the collaboration of Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices) and the endorsement of the Spanish Society of Obesity Surgery (SECO) and the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO-SEO).

The data suggests that obesity is one of the most important health problems faced by the Spanish health system.

In fact, the cost attributable to obesity and its co-morbidities is around 2,880 million euros per year, representing 7% of national healthcare expenditure.

The cost of health care for a person suffering from obesity can be up to three times higher than that of a person with optimal weight.

Spain has the 63rd-highest overall mean Body Mass Index in the world. 

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Cristina Hodgson

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