The latest health survey of children in the Azores presents a portrait of contrasts. On one hand, parents overwhelmingly describe their children as healthy, with most enjoying good general health and strong oral health. On the other, a far more concerning reality emerges from the same data: more than four in every ten children between the ages of five and fourteen are living with excess weight or obesity, placing the Region well above the national average and reinforcing one of the most pressing public health challenges facing the Azores.

According to the Azores Regional Statistics Service (SREA), drawing on data from the 2025 National Health Survey, an estimated 42.3 percent of children aged 5 to 14 in the archipelago were either overweight or obese.

The figures reveal that approximately 5,041 children (21.3 percent) were classified as overweight, while another 4,972 children (21 percent) met the criteria for obesity. Together, these categories account for an estimated 10,013 children, representing nearly half of all children within that age group.

Although normal weight remains the single most common classification, encompassing an estimated 12,194 children (51.5 percent), the proportion affected by unhealthy weight has reached levels that continue to concern health professionals.

The survey also estimated that 1,220 children (5.2 percent) were underweight. The SREA cautions, however, that this estimate should be interpreted carefully because the statistical variation associated with this category is relatively high, making it less precise than the other measurements.

The data become even more striking when compared with the national picture.

Across Portugal, 22.6 percent of children aged five to fourteen were classified as overweight, while 12.9 percent were obese. Although the proportion of overweight children in the Azores is broadly similar to the national figure, the prevalence of obesity is dramatically higher.

At 21 percent, childhood obesity in the Azores exceeds the national average by 8.1 percentage points, making it the principal reason why the Region’s combined rate of overweight and obesity reaches 42.3 percent, compared with 35.5 percent nationally.

The statistics suggest that while children in the Azores are no more likely than their mainland counterparts to become moderately overweight, they are considerably more likely to progress into obesity—a distinction with important long-term implications for health.

Yet the survey also paints an encouraging picture in several other areas.

Parents overwhelmingly assessed their children’s overall health positively. An estimated 31,572 children, or 92.4 percent of those under fifteen years of age, were described as being in good or very good health, virtually identical to the national figure of 92.3 percent.

Only 2,270 children (6.6 percent) were reported to have health rated as fair, poor, or very poor.

Similarly, oral health indicators were particularly encouraging.

Approximately 30,726 children, representing 90 percent of the Region’s child population, were reported to have good or very good dental and gum health, surpassing the national average of 88.3 percent. Just 7.6 percent were assessed as having fair, poor, or very poor oral health.

The survey also explored how health conditions affect children’s daily lives.

An estimated 5,355 children, equivalent to 15.7 percent of those under fifteen, were reported to have illnesses or health problems that limited their ability to perform activities considered normal for their age.

While significant, this proportion remains lower than the national average of 18.9 percent, suggesting that despite higher rates of obesity, Azorean children are somewhat less likely than children elsewhere in Portugal to experience health conditions that interfere with everyday activities.

The findings nevertheless raise important questions about the future.

Childhood obesity is widely recognized as one of the strongest predictors of chronic disease in adulthood, increasing the risk of cardiovascular illness, diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, and numerous other health complications later in life. When excess weight develops early, the likelihood that it persists into adulthood rises substantially.

For the Azores, where agriculture, outdoor life, and close-knit communities have traditionally shaped everyday living, the figures also invite reflection on changing lifestyles.

Modern dietary habits, increased consumption of processed foods, more sedentary recreation, reduced physical activity, and broader socioeconomic factors have transformed childhood across much of the developed world. The Azores have not been immune to these global trends.

At the same time, the survey offers reasons for cautious optimism.

The overwhelmingly positive assessments of children’s general and oral health suggest that families continue to perceive their children as healthy and well cared for. Good dental health, lower-than-average limitations on daily activities, and high overall health ratings provide a strong foundation upon which preventive health policies can build.

The challenge now is ensuring that healthy growth includes healthy weight.

Addressing childhood obesity requires more than medical intervention alone. It calls for coordinated efforts involving families, schools, healthcare professionals, local governments, and communities. Promoting balanced nutrition, encouraging regular physical activity, expanding opportunities for sports and outdoor recreation, and fostering healthier eating habits from an early age will all be essential if the Region hopes to reverse current trends.

Ultimately, the latest survey delivers both reassurance and warning. Azorean children are, by most measures, growing up healthy. Yet the exceptionally high prevalence of obesity reminds us that good health today does not automatically guarantee good health tomorrow. The figures are not simply statistics; they represent an opportunity to invest in prevention now, ensuring that the next generation enters adulthood with healthier habits, stronger well-being, and brighter futures.

Based on a story in Diário dos Açores, Paulo Viveiros-director.