site.btaEndocrinologist: 30% of Adults in Bulgaria Suffer from Obesity

Endocrinologist Assoc. Prof. Yavor Assyov said on Tuesday that approximately 30% of people over the age of 18 in Bulgaria are overweight, placing the country sixth in Europe. He was speaking at an event in Sofia for raising awareness of obesity as a chronic disease.

More than 200 diseases are linked to obesity, Assyov noted. These include diabetes, cardiovascular and reproductive disorders, among others. He said that obesity is a complex, chronic and progressive condition that shortens life expectancy. According to him, the causes are a combination of unhealthy eating, overeating and reduced physical activity, and genetic predisposition.

Up to 70% of people suffering from obesity have a genetic background that affects metabolism and appetite control centres, the endocrinologist said. These are evolutionarily ancient genes that once supported survival but now hinder adherence to a healthy diet, leading to repeated poor food choices, Assyov explained. He stressed that people with obesity should not be blamed for their condition.

When a person suffers from obesity, it is important to seek medical help and a team of specialists, Assyov said, emphasizing that fasting does not solve the problem. He added that prevention requires more open discussion about obesity, including by parents of young children, when eating and exercise habits are being formed.

Psychotherapist Ogniana Rejzmund noted that the stigma surrounding obesity in society remains strong, with the condition often seen as a lack of willpower or discipline, which is not true. People affected by obesity are caught in a cognitive and emotional trap, unable to regulate their appetite due to brain mechanisms that prevent them from reducing food intake, the psychotherapist explained. The constant "food noise" takes over patients’ daily lives, making them continuously think about where and what to eat, she added.