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Lower levels of obesity detected in Autonomous Regions
with higher bread consumption.
EFE - July 2008
The Autonomous
Regions of Spain with the highest rates of obesity,
such as the Canary Islands for example, are also those
with lower levels of bread consumption than others
such as the Regions of northern Spain.
This has been stated by the head of the Nutrition
Unit at La Paz Hospital in Madrid, Carmen Gómez,
at the presentation of the report, “Habits and
attitudes of the Spanish people concerning bread consumption”.
This is an initiative promoted by the Incerpan inter-professional
body, aiming to slow and indeed turn around the downward
trend in consumption of this product.
Carmen Gómez thinks that levels of bread consumption
in Spain should return to those of the 1980s –
around 70 kilos per capita/year – similar to
levels in France today – as opposed to the 53.8
kilos per capita/year registered now or the 134 kilos
of 1964.
Gómez has ruled out the association sometimes
made between bread and obesity, stating that “all
foods contain calories” and that we must simply
follow the criteria of a healthy diet, with variety,
proportion and moderation in foods consumed.
The report states that 93% of Spaniards eat bread
regularly. This figure drops to 72% in the Canary
Islands, 76% in Aragón and 77% in Andalusia,
rising to 97% in La Rioja and the Basque Country,
96% in Navarre and 94% in Galicia.
According to age groups, belief is greater amongst
younger people surveyed, with 70% of 17-24 year olds
holding this belief, while the figure drops to 45%
in the 64+ years age group.
For breakfast, the most popular form is fresh, toasted
bread (54% of those interviewed), preferably with
butter and jam (35%), olive oil and salt (26%), and
olive oil, tomato and ham (14%).
Half of Spaniards choose the traditional Spanish “barra”
(loaf), far ahead of the baguette (18.5%) and the
ciabatta (6.4%).
As far as bread’s qualities are concerned, consumers
value it being crunchy on the outside (56%), its crust
(27%), its flavour (26%), softness and sponginess
(18.5%), its crumb (16%) and aroma (12%).
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