Obesity in poverty

In developed and emerging countries, obesity is increasing in all stages of the life cycle. According to the Spanish society for the study of obesity (SEEDO) the current prevalence of the same is of 16% in the general population and in particular in the child population is 22% in children and 16% in girls. These figures place us at the 4th European country with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity. The etiology of this pandemic is due to various factors such as genetic factors and social factors.




In the context of the social factors is socio economic status. Obesity for decades has been associated with social welfare found in developed countries, and in particular in the upper echelons of the same. However, today obesity is growing also among groups most disadvantaged, collective classes that in this time of economic crisis is also growing. The reason why there is this 'poor' obesity is because access to foods (like fruits and vegetables) is increasingly restricted by this population, due to its high price. On the other hand, the (excessively caloric) unhealthy foods are priced very low, therefore become easily accessible products.

But there is not only by limited access to healthy nutrition obesity in poverty; people with fewer economic resources does not have access to knowledge that assume the benefits of proper healthy habits, and even having the knowledge nor can carry them out.

We can conclude that obesity is an increasingly widespread pandemic, and that approach should begin with a good preventive device, as well as a multidisciplinary treatment due to the nature of the same. But it must also take into account the profile of the affected population has changed and therefore the forms of treatment and prevention must conform to the economic possibilities of the affected subjects.