Experts and advocates call for a systemic shift in how obesity is understood and addressed in Spain.
San Lorenzo del Escorial, July 1, 2025 – At a landmark event held this week, OPEN ESPAÑA and the Complutense University of Madrid, with the support of Novo Nordisk España, brought together experts, policymakers, and patient representatives to confront the realities of obesity in Spain—not only as a public health concern, but as a deep-rooted issue of social justice, equity, and human rights.
The event, titled “Obesity: A Look at the Socio-Economic, Political and Legislative Environment,” challenged long-held assumptions about obesity as a matter of individual choice. Speakers emphasised the growing global recognition of obesity as a chronic, complex, and multifactorial disease, influenced by genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors, and—most critically—by the wider social and economic systems in which people live.
“Obesity is not simply about body weight. It is about access, opportunity, dignity, and justice,” stated Diana Castillo, President of the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO). “We cannot continue to ignore the role that policy, poverty, education, and stigma play in shaping this disease.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies obesity as a chronic disease, yet responses remain inconsistent and often ineffective. The event’s core message was clear: current societal and legislative responses must evolve. Individual responsibility is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Speakers called attention to the inequities in prevention and treatment, with those in lower socio-economic groups often facing more limited access to healthcare, healthy food, safe physical environments, and support systems.
The voices of people living with obesity took centre stage. Advocates stressed that policy must be informed by lived experience. Without engaging those most affected, strategies risk being out of touch, ineffective, or even harmful.
“It’s time to break down stigma, overcome prejudice, and shape policies that are more humane and effective,” said Castillo. “Health is not just the absence of disease—it’s the presence of conditions that allow people to live with dignity.”
As the initiative continues, organisers aim to build a stronger coalition of researchers, healthcare professionals, patient groups, and policymakers. Their goal: a society where obesity is addressed with compassion, evidence, and justice.
The message from San Lorenzo del Escorial is clear: we must change the way the world sees and responds to obesity—starting now.
