A survey analyzes the relationship between Italians and slimming regimes and reveals that the most comforting foods are pizza, pasta and parmigiana
The diet for the Italians it’s a really hard burden to carry, mitigated only by the so-called “free day” (or at least from the “free lunch”), in which they forget calorie e balance and finally you can eat something that is really good. Of course, a calorie-controlled regimen has its upside, because it helps us get back in shape, stay fit salute and to make our silhouette more pleasant, but without that window of food freedom, respecting the regimen imposed by the nutritionist without making mistakes would be really difficult.
WHAT DOES DIET REPRESENT FOR ITALIANS? A survey conducted by SWG for Deliveroo is dedicated to this theme, in view of the “No Diet Day”, which occurs on 6 May, or the day in which the weekly day in which the diet is stopped and you can eat is celebrated freely (without exaggerating, so as not to frustrate the efforts made up to that moment). The day was established to raise awareness against the tendency to transform weight and the relationship with the scale into an obsession, and to encourage acceptance of oneself and one’s body. The SWG and Deliveroo analysis investigated the complex and sometimes conflicting relationship Italians have with diets.
WHO GOES ON A DIET AND WHY – The majority of those interviewed would prefer to focus on physical activity to improve their appearance; one out of two, however, believes they have to make an effort to improve their diet. The most inclined to change their lifestyle, making it healthier and more balanced, are young people: if we consider the population as a whole, for one in three compatriots diet is something that does not concern their daily life; for another third it means “trying without success” and for 7% it represents, instead, a real nightmare. Despite all this, 19% of those interviewed (almost one in five) said they followed a specific diet. Among the reasons that lead Italians to follow a certain diet are, above all, the need to lose weight, the desire to eat healthily and the desire to feel good about themselves.
HOW TO RELIEVE THE “WEIGHT” OF THE DIET – What can be done to make the slimming diet and food routine less tiring and more acceptable? Among those who said they follow a low-calorie diet, one out of two manages to resist thanks to the so-called “day off”, the one in which – always with balance and moderation – it is possible to eat whatever you want. According to the statements of the interviewees, more than half (58%) say they can enjoy this weekly “no diet day”. Investigating the dishes chosen most frequently for consolation, it emerged that these are the so-called 3 Ps: pasta, pizza and parmigiana. Pizza makes 46% of the sample happy, especially among the youngest for whom the percentage rises to 73%. 29% instead choose a good plate of pasta and 27% parmigiana.
Explains the doctor
Frances La Farina, nutritionist, biologist and consultant for the Luiss Nutritional Care project at the Luiss Guido Carli University: “Restrictive diets, built on calorie counting, are not only wrong from a scientific point of view and ineffective, but dangerous for psychophysical health. It is not the exception that makes the difference but the daily routine which must therefore be included in a broader discussion of food education. Therefore, the day off is welcome, but always with moderation and balance”.
DIET: NIGHTMARE OR TRAVEL COMPANION? – Furthermore, according to the SWING/Deliveroo research, one Italian out of two would like to eat better. One out of five Italians (19%) follows a slimming diet more or less continuously. Of these, 41% obviously do it to lose weight, a percentage that rises to 50% among women, but there is also a substantial 34% of those interviewed who are driven by the desire to “eat healthy”. According to more than one out of four Italians (28% to be precise) diet can become an excellent travel companion: especially the very young (37%); for 33% it is something not to give too much importance to, while for 7% it is a reason for nightmare and obsession. Fortunately, among those who follow a diet, the number who rely on a personalized regimen, prescribed by a nutritionist, prevails, to which 39% of the sample relies, while only 19% of the interviewees choose do-it-yourself.
WHY DO WE LOVE FOOD SO MUCH? – Food always evokes positive feelings. The flavor and aroma of a good dish generate a sense of satisfaction and happiness that could not be satisfied with anything else. More than one Italian out of two thinks this way: a good meal, in fact, satisfies 57% and, for 28%, it is a reason for real happiness.