Approximately 28 percent of Spaniards have acknowledged following some form of diet in the year 2023, a figure that increases to nearly 40 percent in the Canary Islands, as revealed by the ‘VI Health and Life Study’ conducted by Aegon insurance company. This signifies a notable increase of more than six percentage points compared to 2022 figures for the entire country.
The sixth edition of this study, which involved 1,600 interviews with individuals over the age of 18 of both genders, took place in May 2023 in Spain. The primary objective was to observe the behavior of Spanish society, stratified by population, age, gender, and economic-labor criteria.
The data from the study indicate that nearly a third of those surveyed were men, over 43 percent fell between the ages of 18 and 25, and 31 percent were employed.
Furthermore, 27.4 percent of the women surveyed stated that they had adhered to some form of diet in 2023, with the age group of 26 to 40 years being the second most prevalent, with over 30 percent providing affirmative responses.
Among the autonomous regions, the areas with the highest percentage of the population admitting to having followed a diet in the past year were the Balearic Islands, with almost 42 percent; the Canary Islands, with nearly 40 percent; and the Autonomous Community of Navarre, with over 37 percent of positive responses.
Conversely, regions with lower percentages included La Rioja, where only 17.6 percent of residents reported dieting; Asturias, with less than 19 percent; and Aragon, with almost 20 percent of its population adhering to diets.
Regarding the type of diet chosen, the study revealed that nearly 60 percent of respondents opted for eliminating specific products or foods, while more than 57 percent reduced their overall food intake. Only 19.3 percent chose to follow a specific diet plan.
The study also shed light on the fact that almost 4 out of 10 Spaniards admitted to having little control over the amount of food they consume. Aegon noted that this response remained fairly consistent across gender and age groups, though it was more prevalent among those who had been on a diet, particularly in 45.3 percent of cases.
