Overweight in Spain from 1987 to 2023.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Trends

Background:

• Overweight represents a significant public health challenge with multifactorial origins.
• Understanding the temporal and geographical distribution of overweight is essential for effective health policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the evolution and trends of overweight prevalence in Spain and its autonomous communities.
• To identify changes in overweight prevalence across different demographic groups from 1987 to 2023.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Spanish National Health Survey (ENSE/ESdE) and the European Health Survey in Spain (EESE) spanning 1987-2023.
• Estimated overweight prevalence (overall, by sex, and age group) with 95% confidence intervals.
• Employed joinpoint regression models for trend analysis, calculating Annual Percentage Change (APC).

Main Results:

• Overweight prevalence increased from 32.8% in 1987 to 38.9% in 2023.
• Prevalence remained higher in men (45.8% in 2023).
• Significant increases observed in women aged 15-24 (113.1% relative change) and a 1.6% annual increase since 2014; Canarias and Murcia showed consistent upward trends.

Conclusions:

• Overweight prevalence in Spain is high and has increased, especially in women and younger demographics.
• Public health interventions should focus on population-level strategies, prioritizing identified vulnerable groups.
• Continued monitoring of overweight trends is necessary for adaptive public health responses.