The alarm: 6 million obese people in Italy

Half of Italians are aware that it is a chronic disease and a risk for other pathologies

ROME. – 85% of Italians consider obesity a complex pathology, associated with multiple causes (genetic, endocrine-metabolic, environmental, behavioral) and not simply a consequence of incorrect diet and lifestyle. 73% consider it one of the most widespread diseases and one of the main causes of mortality. Around half of Italians (49%) are aware that obesity is a chronic disease and a risk factor for other pathologies, less than a third (29%) consider it the consequence of bad habits and only 4% a mere problem aesthetic. These are some of the data that emerge from the document “Obesity in Italy. Perceptions, costs and challenges for the future” created by IPSOS, I-COM and the University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO) with the contribution of Lilly, which will be presented today in Venice during the event “Obesity: perceptions, obstacles and strategies – The Italian model between science and politics”, on the sidelines of the European Congress on Obesity – ECO 2024. The objective – we read in the press note – is to investigate the socio-health and economic impact of obesity in Italy, evolution of national legislation on the topic and to photograph the perception of this pathology by citizens and institutions to define recommendations aimed at combating obesity.

Obesity is, in fact, one of the main global health challenges with such alarming growth rates and impacts that it led the World Health Organization to coin the term “Globesity”.
The phenomenon is significantly increasing and it affects more than 11% of the population, while 33% of citizens are overweight.
It is a rapidly and constantly growing social and health problem, especially in medium-high income countries. One billion people in the world live with obesity, discouraging projections assume that half of the world’s population will be affected by it by 2035.
In Europe, according to the WHO 2022 report, more than one adult in 2 and more than one in 3 children live with overweight or obesity. At least 2.8 million adults die every year due to this disease and its consequences, not to mention that it is a cause of premature death and linked to at least 200 complications including type 2 diabetes, tumors, hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease and obstructive apnea. Compared to people of normal weight, individuals with obesity have 12 times the risk of developing four or more related diseases. Despite the numbers and the growing threat it represents for the socio-health and economic sustainability of the country, for a long time obesity was not recognized as a priority pathology on the political agendas.
“Directly combating obesity is a priority objective of Lilly. Obesity must be addressed with a systemic vision that starts from prevention, diagnosis and treatment, designing paths for patients who really need treatment. Only strong collaboration and cooperation can help us improve our path of continuous investments in research and development towards increasingly innovative solutions. Lilly is committed to continuing to invest in research and development to ensure maximum availability of our products globally,” says Ilya Yuffa, President, Lilly International.

Over the years, two opposing views have consolidated in public opinion regarding obesity: one, oriented towards considering it the exclusive responsibility of the individual, the other oriented towards recognizing it as a truly highly complex and therefore worthy disease of care and services. The prevalence of the former has produced a flourishing of stereotypes, rooted in common feeling, which undermine the recognition of the disease as a real pathological state and blame people with obesity, fueling the social and clinical stigma for which, as research shows, they are the same people with obesity to have certain negative beliefs even more deeply rooted. In fact, in 74% of people who define themselves as obese, the prevailing perception is that they are unable to control their appetite, while 66% of them take personal responsibility for excess fat.
It is urgent to recognize obesity as chronic disease that requires not only particular clinical attention, but a coordinated and integrated intervention at a national level, which goes beyond the preventive approach.

Awareness of obesity as a pathology is also unanimous among the institutions, which express strong consensus for possible targeted investments in prevention, awareness and treatment, which could reduce the incidence, with a positive impact on public spending through the reduction of direct and indirect costs associated with it. It is estimated, in fact, that reducing the obesity rate by just 5% would lead to an annual reduction of 5.2% in global economic costs between 2020 and 2060.
“Obesity in terms of impact clinical and medical expenditure for treatment, represents a challenge that if not addressed will end up influencing future generations with important negative repercussions on society and the national health service – underlines Umberto Agrimi, Director of the Security Department strong>food, nutrition and veterinary public health of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità – the economic impact of obesity is expected to reach, on average, 8.4% of total health spending in OECD countries in 2050. Health costs direct consequences of obesity, according to the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS), amount to between 2.4% and 4.8% of overall health spending in high-income countries. In Italy, total costs amount to 13.34 billion euros in 2020 (0.8% of GDP), of which 59% are direct healthcare costs and 41% indirect costs, with a similar contribution attributable to absenteeism and presenteeism and consequent loss of productivity. The average cost of drugs for overweight or obese people respectively is 2 to 2.5 times higher than the cost incurred for people of normal weight. The average annual cost of a person with obesity amounts to 1,166.52 euros. Obesity therefore has a significant economic burden and leads to an increased use of health goods and services; furthermore, obesity entails a heavy individual cost in terms of deterioration of the quality of life”.

The survey – we read again in the press release – finds that 72% of Italians attribute a degree of responsibility to the institutions for the current legislative vacuum and 42% recognize responsibilities also attributable to doctors. We need a courageous and integrated national strategy that considers obesity a priority for the public agenda, not only for health but also for politics.
“Obesity is a potentially fatal disease and capable of reducing life expectancy through severe complications of various kinds – comments Ugo Cappellacci, President of the Social Affairs Commission, Chamber of Deputies– in recent years the sensitivity and attention of political decision-makers on this pathology, thanks also to the collaboration with national and international experts and patient associations. A bill is currently being examined in the Chamber of Deputies which aims to recognize obesity as a serious disease to which attention and resources should be dedicated, to guarantee strategic and effective prevention, combating and treatment action. The process is complex but representatives of the different political parties are engaged in a collaborative and participatory effort aimed at improving the quality of life of people with obesity. We hope that the intense work will bring concrete results quickly”.
“Obesity is a growing phenomenon in our country, especially among young people. Correct information, awareness raising and campaigns to educate to adopt healthy eating habits, encourage physical exercise and promote policies that make healthy food choices more accessible, especially among the most at-risk sections of the population, are absolutely priority actions – adds Emanuele Monti, President of the Lombardy Region Welfare Commission, and closes – as also recalled by the Honorable Cappellacci, maximum attention and great commitment from the institutions in this sense to respond to the challenge and health needs of people”.