Obesity is increasingly emerging as a serious public health problem in Macedonia. According to the latest data, as many as 65 percent of citizens have a high body mass index, while about 30 percent are overweight. These statistics indicate that the problem of excess weight is becoming one of the biggest health challenges in the country.
On World Obesity Day, the Macedonian Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a campaign with the motto “The Core Principle: Don’t Judge, Just Help”. The aim of the campaign is to raise public awareness of the risks of obesity and to encourage greater support for people struggling with this problem.
According to Dr. Irfan Ahmeti from the Scientific Association for Obesity – OBEM, obesity is often not recognized as a major health problem. Instead, doctors most often treat the consequences, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, as well as infertility, without addressing the root cause – excess weight.
