The health disparities report in Israel reveals: the rate of obesity in the periphery is significantly higher than in the center - voila! news

Why is obesity defined as a disease - and when does it really endanger us?

(Walla system)

The National Institute for Health Policy Research published this morning (Monday) a comprehensive report revealing the health disparities in Israel for 2021, according to the institute, the report "paints a difficult picture of the health disparities" between the periphery and the center and between the different parts of the population in the country.

The most striking figure that emerged from the report is that in the peripheral areas the percentage of obesity is higher, and that among the weaker sections - smoking is more common, as well as the rates of diabetes.

The increase in obesity rates affected all strata of the population, age and gender.

In Jerusalem and Nazareth the obesity percentages are the highest in the country, compared to Tel Aviv - where the percentages are significantly lower.

The highest prevalence of women suffering from obesity, apart from the cities of Jerusalem and Nazareth, was recorded in Hadera, Beer Sheva and Acre, while the highest prevalence of men suffering from obesity, apart from Jerusalem and Nazareth, was precisely recorded in the Golan.

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The increase in obesity rates affected all strata of the population, age and gender (Photo: ShutterStock)

In 2021, the obesity rate among the lower strata (clusters 1 and 2) was 35.8% - an increase of more than 10% compared to 2015, when the figure was 24.1%.

In 2021, the obesity rate among the upper strata (clusters 9 and 10) was 15.3% - an increase of less than two percent compared to 2015 (13.9%).

Among girls, the national obesity rate for 2021 was 10.3%, and the highest obesity rates were found in Safed (12.4%), Ashkelon (12.1%) and Be'er Sheva (12%).

The low obesity rates were also found in Tel Aviv (8.5%), Ramat Gan (8.4%) and Judea and Samaria (8.3%).

Among boys, the national obesity rate for this year was 13.3%, and the highest obesity rates were found mainly in Acre (17.4%), Nazareth (18.1%), Hadera (15.3%), Be'er Sheva (14.6%) and Ashkelon (14.5%).

Similar to the girls, also for the boys - the lowest obesity rates were found in Judea and Samaria (9.3%).

Men from the lower classes smoke more than 2 times compared to the higher classes (Photo: ShutterStock, By vchal)

The report also shows that between the years 2016-2021, there was an increase in smoking rates in all strata of the population.

The significant increase in smoking occurs among the lower socio-economic strata, when men from these strata smoke more than twice as compared to the higher strata, 40.2% compared to only 16.5%.

On the other hand, for women, the trend is the opposite - women from the higher strata smoke more than those from the lower strata, 7.2% compared to 11.5%.

Significant differences were also found in the diabetes morbidity rates between the center and the periphery.

In general, the national morbidity rate among those aged 18 and over is 9.8%, as of 2021. Between the years 2015-2021, the gaps between the lower socio-economic strata and the higher strata widened by a factor of 2.19 by 2.39.

The National Institute pointed out a "great similarity" between the presence of obesity and diabetes in the geographical distribution, since according to their findings, a high presence of the disease was recorded, among others, in Nazareth, Acre, Hadera, Be'er Sheva and Ashkelon - cities that suffered from high rates of obesity.

In this context, it should be noted that among the lower socio-economic strata, there was also an increase in the proportion of diabetics suffering from kidney damage.

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Tags

• obesity

• diabetes mellitus

• smoking

• periphery