Оригинална статия Обща икономика и преподаване

OBESITY IN BULGARIA: ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS, INTERGENERATIONAL DYNAMICS, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Даниел П. Петров - Института по аграрна икономика, отдел „Икономика и управление на организациите в земеделието и в селските райони”
Получена: 06 дек 2025
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Сваляния: 0
Търси по JEL таг 0
Книжка 4/2025
JEL I18 I12 C33
DOI https://doi.org/10.56497/etj2570403

Резюме

Research examines obesity in Bulgaria as both a public health concern and a structural economic challenge shaped by intergenerational dynamics and institutional transformations. A fixed-effects panel data model was applied to 33 European countries (2006–2022) to test two hypotheses: that childhood overweight is a predictor of adult obesity and that a high absolute number of obese individuals maintains the phenomenon through normalisation effects. The findings confirm a strong positive association between early-age overweight and obesity in adulthood, while the role of absolute numbers appears to be more complex, reflecting demographic and structural influences. Bulgaria is identified as an “ascending-risk” case, positioned between high-income and upper-middle-income economies, where deregulated food environments and demographic decline amplify health inequalities. The study argues that obesity should not be addressed primarily through medical treatment but through preventive strategies, including early childhood interventions, nutrition programmes, and cross-sectoral coordination. Despite limitations related to age-disaggregated data and sample size, the research provides solid evidence that obesity is an economic problem with long-term consequences for human capital and sustainable development.

Как да се цитира тази статия

Petrov, D. (2025). Obesity in Bulgaria: Economic Determinants, Intergenerational Dynamics, and Policy Implications. Economic Thought Journal, 70 (4), 452-466. https://doi.org/10.56497/etj2570403

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