Almost a third of people living in the 15 states of the European Union are overweight and one in 10 is obese, according to the latest survey carried out for the European Commission.

The study of consumer attitudes found that more obese people had gained rather than lost weight in the past six months, while more than half said they were not trying to lose weight at all.

The Pan-EU Survey on Consumers Attitudes to Physical Activity, Body-weight and Health , conducted by the Institute of European Food Studies in Dublin, Ireland, found the main reason obese people gave for not taking part in physical activities was that they were "not the sporty type".

The report for the EC employment and social affairs directorate points to the rate of growth of obesity. "More obese people have gained rather than lost weight in the past six months. Perhaps rather than trying to reduce the prevalence of obesity, the aim should be to stem the continuing rise", the report states.

The survey involved more than 15,000 interviews. Four out of five people agreed that gaining 13kg in weight would pose a health risk, but 90 % of obese people recognized it would be harmful .

The Czech Association for the Study of Obesity, led by its president, Prof Vojtìch Hainer , a taskforce member, has shown what can be achieved after persuading the government to act.

After many years of pressing politicians to address the problem, the Czech Republic health ministry, the Parliamentary Committee for Health and Social Affairs and the General Health Insurance Company have agreed to a programme for comprehensive obesity management. 

This will mean a new treatment network providing one outpatient clinic per 100.000 inhabitants, covering 2000-3000 of severely obese subjects or obese with serious health complications in collaboration with around 50 GPs.

In addition one obesity unit is planned per two million inhabitants, providing one obesity specialist for 2,500-3,000 severely obese patients with BMI>35. Complicated cases of obesity and patients where rapid weight loss is required are referred to obesity units attached to major teaching hospitals. 

Bariatric surgery is conducted in specialized clinical settings after indication by an obesity specialist. 
 

A study in two districts found 73.75% of all people examined were overweight or obese comparied with a level in 1972 of 22.6% . A study of transport workers showed 65.8%  were obese 

There are 250,000 diabetics (mostly obese)  and about one million people are hyperlipoproteinemic. Hypertension and ischemic heart disease rates are also high with Bulgaria claiming the highest cerebrovascular disease mortality in the world.