Civic survey on obesity and morbid overweight: From the Italian “Feel Good” experience to the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan
Keywords:
obesity; overweight; cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); prevention; access to care; European elections; civil society organizations (CSOs); Patients’ Advocacy Groups (PAGs); patients’ rights; Council of the European Union; European Parliament; European Commission; European Health Union; The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP); National Health Service (NHS)Abstract
Preventing obesity and its correlated risks in Italy? Difficult if still 29% of adults claim to be uninformed on the subject. A special sensitivity to the issue is particularly found in the younger segments of the population: 93.1% of students surveyed in Italy believe it is useful to talk about obesity and morbid overweight in schools, and 59.4% of students are interested in participating in ad hoc educational initiatives. These are some of the elements that emerged from the “Feel Good” information and awareness campaign, led by the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva in 2024 to delve into the implications of a condition – obesity – that holds strong social implications, and that impacts health, individual and collective costs not only at the national level but also at the European level. Students from 5 schools and 105 participating pharmacies of three different Italian regions took part in informational-training courses, health education interventions, and surveys. The ultimate aim was to help raise awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, educating on the prevention of obesity and morbid overweight. The results show that there is much to invest in health education and in healthcare institutions. As a follow-up to the campaign and to assist in addressing the issue, Cittadinanzattiva identified several civic recommendations to be implemented through a joint effort by the government, health authorities, scientific societies, and civic and patient associations. Linking the national dimension of the “Feel Good” initiative with a European one, there are high expectations about how the “European Cardiovascular Health Plan” will be structured to assist in the fight against obesity.
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