Deep Dive: Only 4-5% of overweight and obese people in Croatia receive diagnosis and treatment

From the Chief Medical Correspondent's lens, this stark underdiagnosis highlights a critical gap in public health surveillance for obesity, a condition linked to numerous comorbidities like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers, as per WHO guidelines (World Health Organization, 2022). With 65% of the population affected and only 4-5% diagnosed, undetected cases likely exacerbate national health burdens, straining healthcare systems without early intervention. The Clinical Research Analyst notes that evidence-based treatments such as lifestyle modifications, pharmacotherapy (e.g., GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide, supported by trials like STEP; NEJM, 2021), and bariatric surgery remain inaccessible to the vast majority. Croatia's top European ranking in obesity prevalence (per Eurostat data) underscores the urgency for scaling proven interventions, yet low diagnosis rates indicate systemic barriers in primary care screening and referral pathways. Through the Health Policy Expert's view, this reflects broader access issues in healthcare delivery, particularly in middle-income EU nations like Croatia. Policies must prioritize obesity as a chronic disease, aligning with EU health strategies (European Commission, 2023) to boost screening, training for providers, and insurance coverage for treatments. Without policy shifts, the 734,000 obese individuals face worsened outcomes, perpetuating cycles of poor health and economic productivity loss. Looking ahead, integrating obesity management into national health plans, similar to successful models in Denmark or the UK (NICE guidelines), could improve diagnosis rates. Stakeholder collaboration among GPs, endocrinologists, and public health authorities is essential to address this 'hidden epidemic' responsibly.