Are Spanish Surveys Ready to Detect the Social Factors of Obesity?

The social origins of obesity are now recognised: a problem that is initially biological is today a public health problem with a social origin. This paper raises the question of whether the official statistical sources used to understand changes in diet are able to detect this shift in analysis. After reviewing the social factors that explain obesity, we examine the official Spanish statistics that can inform about dietary changes: the ENS National Health Survey, the EPF Family Budget Survey, and the EET Time Use Survey, all carried out by the Spanish Statistical Office. All of them include socio-demographic variables and some locational variables. However, the lack of health variables in the economic survey and the lack of social variables in the health survey prevent the gathering of reliable scientific evidence to offer solid support in stopping the obesity epidemic. Food has become particularly important as one of the main areas where unhealthy decisions and choices involve high risk; the situation also demonstrates the relationship between social inequality and obesity. Obesity is now understood in a radically different way and the origin of the problem lies in social and cultural factors. The current surveys do not provide the resources to capture the social causality of obesity, but slight modifications would help expand their capabilities and offer reliable scientific evidence to stop the obesity epidemic.

Well-Being and the Lifestyle Habits of the Spanish Population: The Association between Subjective Well-Being and Eating Habits.

The so-called Mediterranean diet is not simply a collection of foodstuffs but an expression of the culture of the countries of the south of Europe, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Despite the link between food and culture, little has been studied about how diet contributes to the well-being of the population. This article aims to analyze the association between subjective well-being and the eating habits of the Spanish population in order to gain a better understanding of the subjective well-being that food culture produces. For this study, we used a representative sample of the Spanish adult population from a survey by the Sociological Research Center (CIS 2017). Three indicators of subjective well-being were used: perceived health, life satisfaction, and feeling of happiness. The independent variables relating to eating habits considered in the analysis were, among others, how often meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, and sweets were consumed; how the food was prepared; how often meals were eaten out at restaurants or cafés and how often they were eaten with family or friends. Other independent variables related to lifestyle habits were also included in the analysis, in particular, physical exercise and body mass index. We used ordinal logistic regressions and multiple linear regression models. Our findings coincide in large measure with those obtained in earlier studies where perceived health and income play a key role in evaluating subjective well-being. In turn, several variables related to lifestyle habits, such as consuming sweets and fruits, social interaction around meals, exercising, and body mass index, were also associated with subjective well-being.

The combined used of quantitative and qualitative longitudinal methods in the study of obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the combined use of quantitative and qualitative methods with a longitudinal perspective in the field of obesity diet and physical activity. METHOD: A systematic scoping review following PRISMA guidelines. The databases searched were Web of Science, PubMed, and ASSIA. RESULTS: 1592 records were returned from the searches. In total, nine studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Authors of included studies mixed quantitative and qualitative methods to obtain a deeper understanding of their study subjects, but few documents use longitudinal data. Authors value the combination of methods and try to integrate the results in their conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Total integration is rarely achieved in the analysis. The origin of this divergence can be found in the lack of theoretical guidance in these articles, but also in the difficulty of working in multidisciplinary teams in the field of obesity.

[Nutrition and gastronomy in the Principality of Asturias]. / Nutrición y gastronomía en el Principado de Asturias.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: Asturias is renowned for its beautiful and diverse nature and landscapes and for its rich gastronomic tradition. Objectives: to understand the traditional gastronomic identity of Asturias and its relationship with food and nutritional intake and health indicators of the population. Methods: bibliographic search (PubMed, Google Scholar) with different combinations of keywords. Results: the gastronomic tradition of Asturias is characterized by a great variety of foods and dishes, with emblematic culinary preparations. Different reports and studies agree that it is one of the Spanish Regions with the highest food consumption, except for vegetables and cereals and derivatives. The energy intake is also among the highest, but with the highest rates of diet quality indexes. The high consumption of food and the high energy intake, together with an aged population with a high prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, could explain that the prevalence of obesity in the adult population of Asturias is the highest of all the Spanish Regions, with an increasing incidence of diabetes. Conclusions: it is necessary to implement public health policies aimed at improving food selection and health indicators. Furthermore, the study of the contribution of traditional dishes to the dietary habits, the nutritional intake and the health indicators of the population of Asturias would help in improving food selection.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: Asturias es reconocida por su riqueza natural y paisajística y por su rica tradición gastronómica. Objetivos: conocer la identidad gastronómica tradicional de Asturias y su relación con los hábitos de consumo alimentario, la ingesta nutricional y los indicadores de salud de la población. Métodos: búsqueda bibliográfica (PubMed, Google Scholar) con distintas combinaciones de las palabras clave. Resultados: Asturias tiene una gastronomía caracterizada por una gran variedad de alimentos y platos, con preparaciones culinarias emblemáticas. Distintos informes y estudios coinciden en que es una de las comunidades autónomas con mayor consumo y gasto per cápita en alimentación, a pesar de lo cual está entre las de menor consumo de verduras, hortalizas y cereales y derivados (excepto el pan). La ingesta energética está también entre las más altas, si bien el perfil calórico y el perfil lipídico muestran los valores más cercanos a las recomendaciones. El elevado consumo de alimentos y la alta ingesta energética, unidos al envejecimiento poblacional y al elevado sedentarismo, podrían explicar que la prevalencia de obesidad en la población adulta de Asturias sea la más alta de todas las comunidades autónomas, con una creciente incidencia de diabetes. Conclusiones: se hace necesaria la implementación de políticas públicas de salud orientadas a la mejora de la selección de alimentos, así como el estudio de la contribución de los platos tradicionales al conjunto de los hábitos alimenticios y de la ingesta de energía y nutrientes de la población asturiana.

Nutrición y gastronomía en el Principado de Asturias / Nutrition and gastronomy in the Principality of Asturias

Introducción: Asturias es reconocida por su riqueza natural y paisajística y por su rica tradición gastronómica. Objetivos: conocer la identidad gastronómica tradicional de Asturias y su relación con los hábitos de consumo alimentario, la ingesta nutricional y los indicadores de salud de la población. Métodos: búsqueda bibliográfica (PubMed, Google Scholar) con distintas combinaciones de las palabras clave. Resultados: Asturias tiene una gastronomía caracterizada por una gran variedad de alimentos y platos, con preparaciones culinarias emblemáticas. Distintos informes y estudios coinciden en que es una de las comunidades autónomas con mayor consumo y gasto per cápita en alimentación, a pesar de lo cual está entre las de menor consumo de verduras, hortalizas y cereales y derivados (excepto el pan). La ingesta energética está también entre las más altas, si bien el perfil calórico y el perfil lipídico muestran los valores más cercanos a las recomendaciones. El elevado consumo de alimentos y la alta ingesta energética, unidos al envejecimiento poblacional y al elevado sedentarismo, podrían explicar que la prevalencia de obesidad en la población adulta de Asturias sea la más alta de todas las comunidades autónomas, con una creciente incidencia de diabetes. Conclusiones: se hace necesaria la implementación de políticas públicas de salud orientadas a la mejora de la selección de alimentos, así como el estudio de la contribución de los platos tradicionales al conjunto de los hábitos alimenticios y de la ingesta de energía y nutrientes de la población asturiana

Introduction: Asturias is renowned for its beautiful and diverse nature and landscapes and for its rich gastronomic tradition. Objectives: to understand the traditional gastronomic identity of Asturias and its relationship with food and nutritional intake and health indicators of the population. Methods: bibliographic search (PubMed, Google Scholar) with different combinations of keywords. Results: the gastronomic tradition of Asturias is characterized by a great variety of foods and dishes, with emblematic culinary preparations. Different reports and studies agree that it is one of the Spanish Regions with the highest food consumption, except for vegetables and cereals and derivatives. The energy intake is also among the highest, but with the highest rates of diet quality indexes. The high consumption of food and the high energy intake, together with an aged population with a high prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, could explain that the prevalence of obesity in the adult population of Asturias is the highest of all the Spanish Regions, with an increasing incidence of diabetes. Conclusions: it is necessary to implement public health policies aimed at improving food selection and health indicators. Furthermore, the study of the contribution of traditional dishes to the dietary habits, the nutritional intake and the health indicators of the population of Asturias would help in improving food selection

Social Inequalities in Following Official Guidelines on Healthy Diet During the Period of Economic Crisis in Spain.

In Spanish society, social inequalities continue in connection with diet; however, no data examines whether these inequalities altered during the period of economic crisis. This article aims to analyze trends in inequalities related to adherence to government guidelines concerning healthy diet during the period of economic crisis based on the data obtained from the National Health Surveys conducted by the National Statistics Institute. The approach involves studying first the data from the 2006 survey, shortly before the crisis, and then comparing these with the data from the 2011-2012 survey. Applying models of logistic regression shows that certain social inequalities were accentuated by the crisis. However, the general and widespread pattern of eating habits does not disappear in times of crisis. Inequalities are more commonly seen when socioeconomic factors affect foods that the guidelines indicate should be eaten daily. However, with respect to more expensive products, socioeconomic factors did not have so much negative effect on how far a healthy diet was followed because it is recommended that consumption of these foods should be limited. The results suggest that food policy should have specific focuses during times of economic recession.

Eating out in Spain: Motivations, sociability and consumer contexts.

Eating out is a consumer practice which is difficult to define. The study of this practice has traditionally been based on the work/leisure dichotomy. However, in Spain this is not so clear. If we analyse profiles, motivations, places and relationships, we discover an eating-out food model which is specific to Spain and in which food is not limited by this dual link with work and leisure. Eating linked to work does not respond only to instrumental needs. Leisure eating is not always a choice based on preference. Both contain a strong element of sociability which acts as a motivator and are linked to the familisme of Spanish society, whilst at the same time de-routinizing daily life, both at home and at work. This study is based on a national survey carried out in 2014 and helps to understand this consumer practice and those elements which are specific to Spain.