The percentage of overweight children decreased: from 23.4% in 2008-9 to 20.4% in 2019, while obesity remained essentially stable in all regions: 9.3% in 2016 and 9.4% in 2019). The aim of the day is to raise awareness among citizens and institutions and to encourage the prevention of obesity, one of the greatest challenges for public health worldwide, avoiding discrimination, prejudice and the use of stereotyped and stigmatizing language on people living with obesity
04 MAR – “Everybody needs to Act“(Everyone must act) is the claim of the World Obesity Day , established in 2015 by World Obesity Federation, which is celebrated today 4 March and involves organizations, associations and individuals, with the ambitious goal of reversing the global obesity crisis.
World Obesity Day therefore aims to raise awareness among citizens and institutions and to encourage the prevention of obesity, avoiding discrimination, prejudice and the use of stereotyped and stigmatizing language on people living with obesity.
Obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges worldwide, recalls the Ministry of Health on its portal that provides numbers and actions to be put in place to counter it.
Obesity around the world. According to WHO data, obesity affects 800 million people, affecting the quality of life and increasing the likelihood of comorbidity; it also doubles the risk of hospitalization for Covid-19. The number of obese people in the world has tripled since 1975, and in the last 40 years, in many countries, there has been an increase in the prevalence of overweight / obesity, in both children and adults.
In 2019, there were 38 million children under the age of 5 in excess weight. In 2016, more than 340 million children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19 were overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is estimated to increase by 60% over the next decade, reaching 250 million by 2030.
Obesity in Italy. According to the 2019 data of the OKkio Health Surveillance System, overweight children (age 8-9 years) are 20.4%, obese children 9.4%, including seriously obese children who represent 2.4%. Overweight and obese girls are 20.9% and 8.8% respectively, while boys are 20.0% and 9.9%. Over the years, the percentage of overweight children has decreased (from 23.4% in 2008-9 to 20.4% in 2019) while obesity has remained substantially stable in all regions (9.3% in 2016 and 9.4% in 2019).
Also in Italy, in 2018, according to the latest (four-year) survey of the HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children – Health Behavior in School-aged Children) study on 11, 13 and 15 year olds: the percentage of overweight boys in all age groups is stable compared to the previous survey of 2014, (more evident among 11-year-old males from 19% to 19.9% and in 13-year-old girls from 11.9% to 12.8%). There is a slight upward trend in obesity, more evident in 13-year-olds (from 3.3% to 3.8% in males and from 1.3% to 1.6% in females).
The data of the PASSI surveillance system in the period 2017-2020, relating to weight and height, reveal that: 42.4% of adults aged 18-69 years are overweight: 31.6% overweight and 10.8 % obese.
The problem. Obesity is the result of the interaction between behavioral, social and metabolic components, some genetically determined, others attributable to environmental factors. Many aspects of the environment in which people live and work today encourage poor eating habits and / or reduced physical activity that increase the risk of obesity.
To date, no country has reversed its obesity epidemic, although there are some signs of positive change that stem mainly from a flattening of the prevalence of childhood obesity. However, even where progress has been made, there is an increase in inequalities in the prevalence of obesity. In fact, socially vulnerable groups are more affected by obesity because they have less access to education and correct information on lifestyles and health and usually live in areas that do not facilitate active transport and leisure; moreover, very often cheaper foods have lower nutritional quality and high energy density.
What to do. On the occasion of the World Day, the Ministry indicates some measures to be taken, first of all, a healthy diet associated with an active lifestyle, a valid tool for the prevention, management and treatment of many diseases.
The impact of obesity and its consequences in social terms also justifies the need to undertake urgent and incisive interventions to counter the spread of the phenomenon. To act effectively, it is also necessary to actively involve sectors of society outside the health system, both institutional and civil society, as recommended by the European Union and the WHO through strategies and action plans, according to an intersectoral approach.
The National Prevention Plan (Pno) 2020-2025 (adopted with the agreement of the State – Regions August 6, 2020) underlines that obesity has a profound impact on the state of health, since it is accompanied by important diseases such as diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease and other morbid conditions that to varying degrees worsen the quality of life and shorten its duration and considers childhood obesity, in particular, as one of the most important challenges due to the consequences it entails, such as the risk of type 2 diabetes , asthma, musculoskeletal problems, future cardiovascular problems, psychological and social problems.
Established a work table. Finally, the Ministry of Health reminds all Regions through their Regional Plans, are now committed to pursuing objectives of health promotion and prevention of obesity and overweight. Given the need to strengthen the prevention actions undertaken so far, favoring the connection with the general strategic plan and avoiding sectoral and fragmented interventions, and to ensure the early care of overweight and / or obese subjects, a Board of work that is working on the definition of a guideline document for the prevention and contrast of overweight and obesity, in particular childhood obesity, shared with the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, also in order to ensure greater homogeneity of actions at national level .
04 March 2022
© All rights reserved
Other articles in Science and Drugs
