Although more than 90% of those interviewed recognise obesity as a chronic disease that needs treatment, less than half (47.5%) know that the classification criterion is having a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30.

In statements to Lusa, researcher Ana Rita Pedro said that the data on the lack of recognition of the disease were what most surprised the researchers.

“We may be talking about a lack of knowledge about what obesity is, and therefore, the person doesn't know if they have it. It could also be a matter related to the stigma [of the person not labeling themselves as obese] (...), a kind of denial of the health condition, or it could be a matter of literacy,” explained the researcher.

The 9th edition of the Health that Counts study, which will be released today, aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes towards obesity in the Portuguese adult population, as well as the level of health literacy, also analyzing the influence of demographic and socioeconomic factors.

In total, 3,333 responses received between November 2024 and February of this year were validated.

Although 35.5% of the total sample met the criteria for obesity, only 20.4% reported having the disease, revealing "a perception gap".

The data also shows that when people are confronted with questions related to their social sphere, such as the likelihood of hiring a person with obesity, or the likelihood of having a friend with obesity, they report very high probabilities.

However, when confronted with questions more related to their personal sphere or intimate life – for example, the likelihood of having a romantic encounter with a person with obesity or entrusting the care of their children to a person with obesity – the values ​​drop substantially.

Discrimination

People with obesity perceive a higher level of discrimination against those who have the disease, and regarding body image, the data raises an alert about gender discrimination.

“Traditionally, we are more comfortable with excess weight associated with the male gender. In women, we tend to look with a more critical eye, and this was also noted in these results,” explained Ana Rita Pedro.

The expert also highlights the role of social media in this issue: “We are confronted daily with the exposure of the female body with these ‘ideals’ of the female body standard, and we end up having a much more critical view than we would of a male body.”

Regarding health literacy, she reminded that the concept is much more complex than simply having access to information.

“We are effectively talking about access, but then we are also talking about understanding this information, evaluating this information, for example, whether it comes from reliable sources or not, and also the practical application of this information in my daily life, according to my health and disease profile,” she explained, warning about the misinformation that arises on social media.

At this level, the study concluded that people with obesity have “tendentially lower” levels of health literacy and that more than half of these people (54.1%) have “problematic” or “inadequate” levels.

Improvement

Ana Rita Pedro said that the situation has improved in the last 10 years – in 2016, more than 60% of the population had negative levels of health literacy, and today the figure is around 45% – but more and better work needs to be done, also using social media to “reach where people are”.

She insisted that it is necessary to equip people with the skills to distinguish between validated and credible information, emphasizing the need for “increasingly competent people differentiating between marketing ploys and scientific evidence”.

“We must try to be where people are, not giving much room for those empty spaces in the area of ​​information that are quickly filled by others,” she warned.

The researcher insists on the need for academia, policymakers, and government bodies to join forces so that credible information is more widely disseminated on social media, including by healthcare professionals: "There are healthcare professionals who are genuine 'influencers' on social media, and very deservedly so, who help in the area of ​​literacy and empowerment of people."

However, she acknowledged that the most difficult part is the component of "critical literacy": being able to look at what surrounds us and know how to distinguish credible information from other information. "Often they are confused. And we are aware of that."