COVID-19 OPPORTUNITIES - BULGARIAN WOMEN: WORK-LIFE BALANCE, OBESITY AND STRESS

Obesity is named the scourge of late 20th and early 21st centuries. It contributes to many chronic diseases. The prognosis is that it will only become a bigger problem in the near future. This research is aimed at studying the habits and mental state of busy working Bulgarian women aged 35 - 65 who are obese and are living abroad and the holistic approach towards their condition. We used Google form surveys to identify the knowledge, habits, and the state of mind of twenty-two obese Bulgarian women living in eleven different countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. 86.4% of the participants have one or more kids and 81.8% are in the workforce. Most of the working mothers declare that due to the demanding lives they lead, they often neglect their health and general wellbeing. Furthermore, 100% of the participants are stressed, obese and most of them have chronic illnesses. We found that all of the respondents are aware of their weight problem, and they describe their physique as above normal. We found that the majority of them are not involved in any kind of physical activities or sports, which could help them alleviate their stress. Only a small number of them have ever tried meditation or any other holistic approach towards becoming healthier and happier human beings. Our research shows that women in developed countries are working long hours and also are habitually engaged with housework. In our opinion, they accumulate stress, which in turn is the reason for them being overweight, encumbered by various illnesses and feeling unhappy. Furthermore, we found a strong and significant correlation between the forced isolation and improvement of lifestyle choices and health.