The Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Obesity in Bulgarian Adults with a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m-An Exploratory Study.

BACKGROUND

Obesity affects 33.2% of the adult population in Bulgaria, and there is a scarcity of information about affected individuals' attitudes toward their weight situation. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of obesity in affected adults.

METHODS

The present study involved a questionnaire-based survey that utilized home-based and tablet-assisted face-to-face interviews. Interviewees comprised individuals aged 25-64 y/o with a BMI > 25.0 kg/m.

RESULTS

Overall, 704 respondents participated (344 overweight; 360 obese). Over 50% of participants reported attempts to reduce their weight, with only 6% of participants in the overweight group and 16% in the obese group perceiving their condition as worrisome. One-third of the obese participants considered their state temporary. The main cause for alarm in overweight/obese participants was a worsening overall physical condition in males and an increase in clothes size in females. The need for an urgent reduction in body weight was noted by 12% of the overweight respondents and 40% of the obese respondents. The reasons for being overweight were collated as a lack of physical activity (noted by 52% of participants), sedentary lifestyle (51%), stress/depression (41%), excessive consumption of carbohydrates (34%), general overconsumption of food (33%), and poor quality of food products (28%). Of note, 56% of the respondents had first consulted a medical professional about being overweight. Most respondents selected dieting without physical activity for weight reduction, with 48% stating that they would try drugs approved for weight reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Many overweight/obese individuals have an unrealistic self-perception and very low motivation to take active measures. These discrepancies offer great opportunities for better public education and structured, active strategies.