THE‘obesity at a young age it is a real health emergency which mortgages the future of new generations. In fact, if obesity strikes before the age of thirty, the body begins an early countdown which increases the risk of premature death by 70%.. The data emerged from extensive research byLund Universitypublished on eClinicalMedicine (group The Lancet). It was relaunched by Italian Obesity Society (SIO) on the occasion ofEuropean Congress on Obesity (ECO2026) of Istanbul.
Obesity: Scandinavian research
During the event the SIO promoted the SIO-STEP project, an initiative that aims to raise awareness and educate young generations in schoolsinvolving teachers and families. «Scandinavian research has monitored decades of clinical data, concerning over 600 thousand people, highlighting how excess weight at a young age is not a transitory condition, but a precursor of chronic pathologies devastating. Visceral fat accumulated early alters the metabolism and cardiovascular system in profound ways, early triggering type 2 diabetes and hypertension. The 30-year threshold emerges as a biological ‘point of no return’. Intervening before this age is the only strategy to prevent an entire generation from seeing its life expectancy drastically reduced”, he explains Silvio Buscemipresident of SIO and full professor of Clinical Nutrition atUniversity of Palermo.
Obesity: Italy ranks first in Europe
The fear of SIO specialists is more than justified by the numbers of the spread of obesity. For the first time in history, in fact, the world is moving towards an “overtaking” in which obese children will surpass underweight ones. The Mediterranean area is a “hot spot” e Italy occupies the top places in the European ranking for child overweight between the ages of 7 and 9. «In our country, childhood obesity in the 7-9 year age group is a health emergency: approximately 10-17% of children are obese and almost 20-39% are overweight. Italy is among the European countries with the highest rates, with over 100,000 children with severe obesity (2.6% of the total)”, specifies the Professor Buscemi. Territorial data show a clear gap between North and South: the Southern regions record the most critical percentages. The case of Campania is emblematic: here 43.2% of children between 8 and 9 years old, almost one in two, are overweight or obese.
The prevention project signed by SIO
To respond to this emergency, SIO presents SIO-STEP (Educational Territorial Development for Prevention). «This is not a simple information campaign, but a randomized controlled trial which involves 40 primary schools throughout Italy. The project it is based on three pillars. The first is composed of education and movementthat is, a series of structured protocols to increase physical activity and food awareness among school children. The second pillar is teacher training: we want to provide teachers with the scientific tools to manage and promote healthy lifestyles. In the end, with the third pillar we aim to involve familiesconstantly supporting parents to break the ‘vicious cycle’ of isolation and sedentary lifestyle that often accompanies excess weight”, explains the Professor Buscemi. The effectiveness of SIO-STEP will be scientifically measured over a period of two years to verify whether the changes achieved become consolidated habits.
Obesity: schools as a driver of health
«The final objective is ambitious: to validate a prevention model to be applied in all schools in Italy, transforming the educational institution into the main driver of health for the new generations. SIO is not a scientific society closed in laboratories. We live in the social fabric and we want to support institutions in strategic decisions. This is why we are carrying out SIO-STEP with which we want to compete for a European Horizon call and which it fits perfectly with the ‘Pella Law’ for the promotion of early prevention. Our goal is to translate science into concrete actions for Italian citizens”, concludes the Professor Buscemi.
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