The Bulgarian Association for the Study of Obesity and Related Diseases (BASORD) is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025! In the years since the organisation was founded in 1995, The Bulgarian Association for the Study of Obesity and Related Diseases (BASORD) has had a long and productive history of activities focused on the prevention and management of obesity. Each year, BASORD organises awareness campaigns around World Obesity Day, holds press conferences to raise public and professional awareness, and works to address weight stigma within health systems and society. The association also runs an annual “School for Health” week-long camp for students, parents, and teachers, promoting education and engagement in healthy lifestyles.
BASORD maintains a longstanding and productive collaboration with EASO, the World Obesity Federation (WOF), the World Health Organization (WHO), national ministries of health and education, and the Bulgarian Association of Patients Living with Obesity “Together.”
From 26–28 September 2024, BASORD hosted the 1st National Congress on Obesity in Albena on the Black Sea coast, marking an important milestone in Bulgaria’s obesity research and care community. More than 100 participants from across all areas of obesity management took part. The scientific programme included sessions on childhood and adult obesity, epidemiology, nutrition, pharmacotherapy, and metabolic surgery.
The opening plenary, delivered by Dr Dominik Thor, explored the role of normal weight and BMI as potential predictors of longevity. Julia, a patient living with obesity, shared a powerful and personal account of her experience with obesity as a chronic disease. On the final day, a joint EASO Early Career Network (ECN) and BASORD ECN workshop provided a platform for early career professionals to exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration.
Special thanks go to the EASO Executive Board for their valuable participation and for sharing state-of-the-art insights in obesity care. A highlight of the programme was Professor Paulina Nowicka’s lecture on the child–parent partnership model for sustainable obesity care. Meanwhile, the “two Italian musketeers,” Professors Luca Busetto and Paolo Sbraccia, discussed the new EASO Framework for the Diagnosis, Staging, and Management of Obesity and the EASO Framework for the Pharmacological Management of Obesity and its Complications. Bram Berntzen also delivered an excellent presentation introducing the EASO Early Career Network and its opportunities for professional growth.
