The Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Obesity in Bulgarian Adults with a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m²-An Exploratory Study

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.

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/m².

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.

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.