In the Genoese metropolitan area, alarming statistics reveal the health challenges faced by women between the ages of sixty and seventy. According to a recent meeting with ASL3 specialists at Palazzo Ducale in Genoa, one in two women in this age group is ill, with one in four suffering from more than one pathology. Additionally, 30% of Genoese women are overweight or obese, 23% smoke, and 20% are former smokers.
“This event represents an increasingly stronger involvement of ASL3 in the territory,” explains ASL3 director Luigi Carlo Bottaro. “We want to highlight the importance of preventative healthcare, emphasizing the need for correct lifestyles to prevent women from living with illness for as long as possible.”
Gianni Testino, director of the correct lifestyle department of ASL3, points out that women in the region live about 5 years longer than men, but often suffer from multiple illnesses after the age of sixty. The department focuses on prevention and health promotion programs to ensure that women not only live longer but also live better.
One of the major health concerns highlighted is alcohol consumption among women. A recent report from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and ISTAT reveals that 62.7% of women in the region consume alcohol, with 4.3% engaging in “binge drinking.” This puts around 9 thousand women at risk of developing alcohol-related diseases, with 600 new cases of alcohol-related cancer reported each year.
Despite some positive results from prevention campaigns, Testino emphasizes that the problem of risky alcohol consumption still persists in Liguria. With an estimated 90 thousand people in the region consuming alcohol in a risky way, there is a continued need for voluntary actions promoting healthy habits such as nutrition, movement, and the elimination of alcohol and smoking.
Overall, the focus on preventative healthcare and lifestyle changes is essential to improving the well-being of women in the Genoese metropolitan area and reducing the burden of illness in the population.