The issue of obesity remains a pressing and highly relevant concern, as its prevalence in the population continues to rise. In 2016, there were 650 million adults with obesity worldwide, and the number of obese individuals globally rose to 800 million by 2021. It is alarming that obesity also affects 250 million children worldwide.
According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Slovakia ranks fourth among OECD countries in terms of obesity prevalence, following the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Finland. We are keeping pace with rising obesity trends, whether among adults or children and adolescents. 60% of Slovak men and 70% of Slovak women are overweight or obese. One in four Slovak men and women aged 18 to 64 is obese (BMI over 30kg/m²). The most severe degree of obesity (BMI over 40kg/m²) affects one percent of the population, which is about 33,000 people. We must therefore speak of an obesity pandemic.
The Cost of Inaction in Obesity Management
Obesity is linked to a wide range of other chronic diseases—more than 236 in total. These include, in particular, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and liver diseases, as well as cancers and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, depression, and musculoskeletal disorders. It is clearly a “costly disease.”
“At the pan-European level, we are working on a project called ‘Cost of Inactivity,’ which, loosely translated, means ‘What Inactivity Costs Us.’ Of course, this refers to inaction in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, which obesity clearly is. We’re also conducting economic analyses to convince the governments of individual countries that obesity must be taken very seriously. Until now, we have been accustomed in clinical practice to addressing “only” obesity-related diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, or strokes. However, the times call for a different approach; we must focus on the prevention and management of obesity and its associated diseases.”
adds Associate Professor Ľubomíra Fábryová, MD, PhD, MPH.
A Success Story in Weight Loss and Management
The basic conditions necessary for successful weight loss in cases of obesity include a motivated and well-prepared patient, as well as a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to obesity management. However, when some individuals suffering from obesity struggle with low self-esteem and hesitation, the inspiring stories of those who have successfully overcome their excess weight can also be helpful.“One such story with a happy ending was written by our patient, who overcame his severe obesity despite the unfavorable epidemiological situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He has now successfully maintained his weight loss for the second consecutive year,” says Assoc. Prof. Peter Minárik, MD, PhD, MSc, a gastroenterologist, nutrition specialist, and vice president of the Slovak Obesity Association.
