Portugal is losing its battle against obesity, according to new figures from the European Union's statistics office, Eurostat. One in six people over the age of 18 in the country is now classified as obese.
The share of the Portuguese population with excess weight rose from 15.8% in 2022 to 17.0% in 2025. The increase mirrors a broader trend across the European Union, where the obesity rate climbed from 14.8% to 16.3% over the same period.
Portugal's ranking among EU countries
Among the 27 member states of the European Union, Portugal ranks 16th for obesity. Malta tops the list, with 26.6% of its population classified as obese, while Italy has the lowest rate, at 7%.
Eurostat's data show that more than half of the EU population, 51.7%, is now carrying excess weight. Across the bloc, 2% of people are underweight, 46.4% have a normal weight, 35.4% are classified as pre-obese and 16.3% are obese.
In Portugal, the breakdown is similar but slightly worse than the EU average. Eurostat found that 2% of the population is underweight, 43.4% has a normal weight, 37.40% is pre-obese and 17% is obese.
Endocrinologist warns against blaming patients
Paula Freitas, president of the Portuguese Society of Endocrinology, said the figures point to a clear rise in obesity. She said it was wrong to think the disease could be treated with diet and exercise alone.
Freitas said obesity is a chronic condition that requires ongoing medical care and stressed that it is not the responsibility of the person affected. She said the disease is not the patient's fault.
The Portuguese Society of Endocrinology represents specialists who treat hormonal and metabolic conditions, including obesity, which is increasingly recognised in medical guidelines as a chronic disease rather than a lifestyle choice.
Freitas argued that obesity medications should be subsidised by the state, so that treatment is not limited by a patient's ability to pay.
