Politicians and Doctors Support Establishment of National Programme Tackling Obesity

Risida Dimitrova, Sofia Gospodinova, Borislava Bibinovska

Roundtable (In?)Vincible Pandemics: Obesity held at the National Assembly, Sofia, September 30, 2025 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Sofia,

30.09.2025 18:42

(BTA)

Politicians and doctors expressed support for the establishment of a National Programme Tackling Obesity at a roundtable discussion on the topic (In?)Vincible Pandemics: Obesity, held at the National Assembly on Tuesday. On Monday the Obesity Coalition, organizer of the roundtable, presented its report on obesity.

"More than 40% of people in Bulgaria over the age of 18 have a problem related to obesity. One in three students faces obesity issues before turning 18," National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova said at the forum. She noted that obesity costs Bulgaria at least 3.5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or more than BGN 6.4 billion. According to her, this has a long-term impact on the productivity and health status of Bulgarian citizens.

"I will push for the development and adoption of a comprehensive national program tackling obesity, which must address all aspects of the issue," Parliamentary Health Committee Chair Kostadin Angelov (GERB-UDF) said. He added that last year, the 2030 National Health Strategy was adopted, and obesity was included as a national priority. "Why do we talk about a pandemic? Because nearly 30% of the world's population has a problem with this disease," Angelov said. The condition is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and with musculoskeletal disorders in younger patients, the MP added.

Obesity is linked to over 200 medical complications that significantly impact well-being and quality of life, Health Minister Silvi Kirilov said at the roundtable. "Overweight and obesity are responsible for between 5% and 42% of adult deaths from leading chronic noncommunicable diseases," he added. The Minister said that forecasts indicate nearly 3.3 billion adults may be affected by 2035.

Obesity should not be underestimated, as it affects various organs and aspects of human health, warned health experts who participated in the roundtable.

The economic burden of obesity was also discussed during the event. Arkadi Sharkov, board member of the Obesity Coalition, said that according to 2024 data, direct healthcare costs linked to obesity in Bulgaria reached BGN 264 million. Indirect costs, such as sick leave and work absences, are estimated at BGN 170 million for 2024 alone. The economic burden of obesity and related problems was estimated at about BGN 11.9 billion.

The global economic impact of obesity and overweight was estimated at USD 516 billion in 2020, and by 2060, these costs could potentially triple, Professor Volkan Yumuk, Chair of the European Association for the Study of Obesity, said. He added that if the spread of obesity can be slowed by just 5%, it would save an estimated USD 430 billion.

/DS/