The Failure of Anti-Obesity Policies – Radio 1 RAI
I joined Il Caffè di Radio 1 on Radio 1 RAI for World Obesity Day to highlight the failure of current public health policies to tackle this global emergency.
Listen to the full program here >>>
The Failure of Anti-Obesity Policies
Obesity is an underestimated pandemic, more severe than Covid-19 in terms of health and economic impact, yet it is addressed with short-sighted, one-size-fits-all strategies. Data from the World Obesity Federation’s Atlas is alarming: by 2035, more than half of the global population will be overweight or obese, with costs reaching 3% of the world’s GDP. Italy is no exception: 52% of adults are overweight or obese, and one in three children under the age of eight has weight issues.
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Current policies – sugar and fat taxes, misleading front-of-pack labels, and imposed food reformulations – have proven ineffective and even harmful. These measures restrict consumer choice without addressing the real causes of obesity: genetics, metabolism, socio-economic conditions, mental health, and lifestyle. We need a shift towards personalization and education. New technologies offer precision nutrition solutions, but without a cultural change, they risk becoming new dependencies.
The solution is not bans and restrictions but empowerment and responsibility. We must revive the true meaning of the Mediterranean Diet – not just as a way of eating, but as a holistic lifestyle combining knowledge, physical activity, and psychological well-being. It’s time to move beyond “one-size-fits-all” policies and develop truly effective solutions.
The Failure of Anti-Obesity Policies – Radio 1 RAI
