Childhood obesity: Italy among the first countries in Europe

In recent years, he has talked a lot about it. Despite this, childhood obesity remains a big problem in Italy. Even more than in most other European countries . According to the latest data from the World Health Organization's Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (2015-2017), we have two records: the highest rate of obesity infant in men and the highest overweight and obesity among females. If 21% of our children are obese or overweight, in girls, the rate rises to 38%

The fault of an incorrect education

But how is it that in the One of the countries where the Mediterranean Diet is so prevalent childhood obesity? According to experts, the reasons are multiple. Poor education plays a decisive role: parents and adults generally do not pbad on good eating habits to children, but they push them to overeat and harm . This happens especially in the South, where the false belief that "fat is beautiful" is still alive. Too sedentary lifestyle, the preference for static games compared to dynamic games, the hectic pace of life, the lack of time to prepare healthy meals can only make things worse.

There is also good news

from Italy, not only is the bad news coming up. "In countries like Italy, Portugal, Spain and Greece, although obesity rates are high among children and overweight, considerable efforts by individual countries to prevent and control in recent years have decreased considerably. obesity, "said Joao Breda of the European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, and in those years, something has changed: information campaigns and alarms are starting to take hold. their fruits

Yes to fruits and vegetables

Another good news concerns the consumption of fruits and vegetables : it seems, in fact, that our children have the habit of eating these foods, if not all days, at least every other day, not just that, they introduce fast food and pizzas with little frequency.