According to a new study presented by the Ministry of Health on Thursday, 45% of Spanish children between the ages of six and nine years have weight problems, with 26% being overweight and 19% suffering from obesity.
The study was conducted on 8,000 pupils aged between six and nine years with the aim of providing facts rather than opinions on the question of weight.
The study showed that 26% of boys were overweight compared to 25.9% of girls and that 22% of boys were obese compared to 16% of girls.
The study also highlighted that children in families with less education and fewer economic resources tend to suffer the most problems with weight. In lower-income families, 48% of children were overweight or obese, 8% higher than was the case with more wealthy and educated families.
The report warns that the excessive use of consoles, computers and television increase the likelihood of weight problems. More than half (56%) of children without a console or computer in their room have a healthy weight, while half of those who do have these technologies are overweight or obese.
It also seems that food in school canteens is better, or more healthy, than at home. The study shows that 56% of children who eat in these school facilities are of normal weight – compared with 43% being overweight – and only 51.7% of those who eat at home have a normal weight with 47.6 percent of them exceeding their ideal weight.