One in three Spanish teenagers is overweight or obese.

The Ministry of Health has published the most comprehensive report to date on childhood obesity in Spain, based on direct clinical data collected by primary care professionals and recorded in the Primary Care Clinical Database (BDCAP). This publication focuses on the analysis of the prevalence of overweight , obesity, and severe obesity in the child population, with data from 2023 and an evolutionary analysis since 2013. The report covers a sample of primary care electronic medical records that, since 2022, includes information from more than 800 basic health areas and covers approximately 25% of the population assigned to this level of care. The information includes weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) measurements performed directly by primary care professionals. In 2023, 237,460 children from ten autonomous communities were analyzed. The ages 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, and 14 were selected because these are the ages at which follow-up visits are scheduled for the child health program in primary care pediatrics, ensuring greater coverage of BMI data. These measurements were performed directly by primary care professionals during scheduled pediatric checkups.

Prevalence in 2023: The study presents the prevalence of overweight , obesity, and severe obesity broken down by age and sex (according to the International Obesity Task Force-IOTF classification). Severe Obesity: Severe obesity is a subcategory of obesity. At 12 years of age, the prevalence was 1.7% in boys and 1.8% in girls. At 14 years of age, it was 2.0% in boys and 1.6% in girls. Obesity: At 12 years of age, the prevalence of obesity was 8.1% in boys and 8.7% in girls. At 14 years of age, it was 8.4% in boys and 6.8% in girls. At younger ages, the prevalence is significantly lower, with 0.5% in boys and 1.0% in girls at 0 years of age. Overweight: At 12 years of age, the prevalence of overweight was 21.5% in boys and 22.6% in girls. At 14 years of age, it was 20.1% in boys and 19.8% in girls. Evolution 2013-2023: The prevalence of obesity has maintained "some stability" until 2020, experiencing an increase during the years of the pandemic (2020 and 2021), followed by a downward trend. Socioeconomic gradient: A socioeconomic gradient has been identified in the prevalence of obesity , being more frequent in lower income groups. This trend is observable at most ages, although not uniformly. Country of birth: Obesity is more common in children born abroad up to the age of 4, reversing this trend from the age of 6, when it is more common in those born in Spain. A similar pattern is observed for overweight, with the pattern changing from the age of 4. Municipal size: No statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence of obesity or overweight based on the size of the municipality.

Clinical and healthcare characteristics of obesity in the childhood population. The report includes a second part, which aims to characterize children with obesity in terms of health, comparing them with their non-obese peers. The results confirm that these children have a greater burden of disease , especially from the age of 6. This disease affects multiple body systems and manifests itself more intensely in adolescence. For example, children with obesity have a higher prevalence of mental health problems , such as depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and even symptoms of post-traumatic stress. In the dermatological area, conditions such as ingrown toenails, contact dermatitis, and pilonidal cysts are more frequent, and in the musculoskeletal system, problems such as sprains, lower limb deformities, musculoskeletal pain, and osteochondrosis stand out. A higher frequency of hypertension, lipid metabolism disorders, fatty liver, hypothyroidism, and asthma, among other conditions, is also detected. This increase in medical care is compounded by a greater consumption of medications . Medication use is between 20% and 60% higher among obese children, depending on age. Particularly prevalent are antidepressants, psychostimulants, topical antifungals, scabicides, and corticosteroids, as well as antibiotics and asthma medications.

112 million euros for the " Afternoons with a Plan " program The Ministry of Health will launch the "Afternoons with a Plan" program to combat childhood obesity . This program has a total budget of 112,668,476 euros, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF +) with a contribution of 78,461,538 euros. This action is part of the National Strategic Plan for the Reduction of Childhood Obesity and aims to guarantee the right to healthy and accessible leisure time. The program proposes interventions outside of school hours focused on promoting healthy habits in nutrition, rest, physical activity and emotional well-being. It is specifically designed to reach children and adolescents living in low-income environments, also taking into account the needs of their families. Its implementation will be the responsibility of third sector entities through a public call for proposals that is now open. With this initiative, the Ministry of Health reinforces its commitment to child and adolescent health , territorial equity, and the reduction of social inequalities, moving toward a fairer and healthier environment for the entire population.

The Ministry of Health has published the most comprehensive report to date on childhood obesity in Spain, based on direct clinical data collected by primary care professionals and recorded in the Primary Care Clinical Database (BDCAP). This publication focuses on the analysis of the prevalence of overweight , obesity, and severe obesity in the child population, with data from 2023 and an evolutionary analysis since 2013. The report covers a sample of primary care electronic medical records that, since 2022, includes information from more than 800 basic health areas and covers approximately 25% of the population assigned to this level of care. The information includes weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) measurements performed directly by primary care professionals. In 2023, 237,460 children from ten autonomous communities were analyzed. The ages 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, and 14 were selected because these are the ages at which follow-up visits are scheduled for the child health program in primary care pediatrics, ensuring greater coverage of BMI data. These measurements were performed directly by primary care professionals during scheduled pediatric checkups.