Lorraine Williamson
More than six in ten people aged 15 and over in Spain say they are living with a chronic health condition, according to new official figures that reveal a worsening picture of the country’s health. The findings also show an increase in depressive symptoms and obesity, while the proportion of people who smoke every day has continued to fall.
The results come from the Spanish Health Survey 2025, published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) on 20 October. The study examines physical and mental health, lifestyle habits and the use of medical services across Spain.
Chronic health conditions become more widespread
The survey found that 66.2% of people aged 15 and over reported having at least one chronic illness or long-term health problem, compared with 57.7% in 2023. That represents an increase of 8.5 percentage points in just two years.
The results also suggest that fewer people feel positive about their overall health. In 2025, 68.3% of the population described their health as good or very good, down from 74.1% in 2023.
There were notable differences between men and women. Almost three-quarters of men, 73.6%, rated their health positively, compared with 63.1% of women.
The decline in positive health assessments was recorded across almost every age group, highlighting the broad reach of the changes identified by the survey.
Depression and mental health concerns rise
Mental health is another area where the latest figures point to growing difficulties. The proportion of people aged 15 and over experiencing depressive conditions reached 16.2% in 2025, an increase of 1.6 percentage points compared with 2023.
The findings provide a statistical picture of depressive symptoms in the population, rather than a count of newly diagnosed cases. They also demonstrate the importance of distinguishing between people’s reported health experiences and the number of patients receiving treatment.
The survey includes information about mental health alongside other aspects of daily life, including work-related stress, physical activity, social support and access to healthcare.
Fewer people smoke, but obesity increases
One of the more positive findings concerns tobacco consumption. The proportion of people aged 15 and over who reported smoking every day fell to 15.4%, a decrease of 1.2 percentage points from 2023.
The longer-term picture is particularly striking. Daily smoking has fallen substantially since the early 1990s, reflecting decades of changing attitudes, public health campaigns and restrictions on tobacco use.
Obesity, however, is moving in the opposite direction. The survey found that 17.2% of adults aged 18 and over were living with obesity in 2025, compared with 15.2% in 2023.
These contrasting trends show that improvements in one area of public health do not necessarily translate into better outcomes across the population.
Major differences between regions
The results reveal considerable geographical variation in how people assess their health.
Ceuta recorded the highest proportion of residents reporting good or very good health, at 79%, followed by the Valencian Community and Extremadura, both at 70.7%.
At the other end of the scale, Galicia recorded the lowest proportion, at 61.6%, followed by the Canary Islands at 63.8% and Asturias at 65.1%.
Regional differences also emerged in obesity rates. Among adults, the Canary Islands recorded the highest proportion at 21.8%, followed by Castilla-La Mancha at 20.8% and Murcia at 18.9%.
Among children and teenagers under 18, Andalucía recorded the highest proportion with obesity, at 12.4%, ahead of the Canary Islands at 9.5% and Ceuta at 9%.
These comparisons describe the surveyed populations and should not be interpreted as direct measures of the quality of healthcare services in each region.
Healthcare use also varies across Spain
Andalucía recorded the highest proportion of people who had attended an accident and emergency service during the survey’s reference period, at 35.6%. Castilla-La Mancha followed at 35.3%, with the Valencian Community at 33.8%.
Melilla, the Basque Country and Ceuta recorded the lowest proportions, all below 25%.
The survey also examined visits to family doctors and specialists, revealing further differences between autonomous communities. Galicia, Cantabria and the Canary Islands recorded the highest proportions of recent family doctor or paediatrician consultations.
These figures provide an indication of how frequently people use healthcare services, although they do not establish why particular regions record higher or lower levels of attendance.
What the findings reveal about health in Spain
The Spanish Health Survey is conducted periodically and provides one of the country’s principal sources of information about the population’s health and everyday habits.
For the latest edition, information was collected between April 2025 and March 2026 from approximately 21,000 households. The results were weighted to represent the population nationally and across Spain’s autonomous communities.
The findings reveal a mixed picture. Progress in reducing smoking contrasts with higher reported levels of chronic illness, depressive conditions and obesity, while substantial regional differences remain.
For health authorities, the figures provide an important evidence base for future decisions about prevention, treatment and the organisation of healthcare services. They also underline the challenges facing a country where a growing proportion of adults report long-term health problems.