What’s going on pediatric obesity: Report from Italy

Objective: It is a report of childhood obesity in Italy. Italian Statistic Data Center (ISTAT), reports that 24% of the subjects between 6 to 17 yrs of age are overweight, with higher percentage in the South of Italy. The same report underlines that one million of subjects between 6 to 11 yrs of age are overweight or obese. Consequently, among European countries, Italy is at the top level in term of pediatric obesity incidence and frequency. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted. All quantitative and qualitative studies of Italian pediatric samples reporting results on childhood obesity were included. 7 articles were found. These studies are focused on the prevalence of overweight and obesity, adolescent lifestyle, the correlation between education attainment, eating patterns, physical activity, socioeconomic status, individual Body Mass Index (BMI) and early-life risk factors. Results: Articles analysed showed higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in the south of Italy; overweight and obese adolescents have wrong lifestyles: they skip breakfast, drink soft and sweet beverages and energy drinks; we found also a strong relationship between education of adolescents and parents, eating patterns, and physical activity and individual BMI. Early risk factors of cardiovascular diseases are related to childhood obesity, too. Conclusion: Concerted public health efforts need to achieve the healthy objectives for obesity and nutrition and to fight the childhood obesity epidemic. These efforts are definitely focused both on obese children and children at highly risk of being obese.