Italy has become the first country to enact a national law recognizing obesity as a chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease, shifting focus from personal choice to a broader understanding of biological, environmental, and social factors. This landmark legislation is being put into practice in the Campania region through a series of interventions, including a trial of a "fasting-mimicking diet" for overweight adolescents.
The experimental diet involves 300 overweight teenagers who will adhere to a highly restrictive eating plan for five days every three months. On the first day, calorie intake will be limited to 1,100, dropping to 770 for the subsequent four days. Researchers aim to induce a "metabolic reset" through this controlled deprivation, drawing on studies that link fasting to longevity and health.
However, the approach is not without its critics. Pediatrician Berni Canani expressed concern that the evidence supporting fasting-mimicking diets in children is insufficient for inclusion in national clinical guidelines. He also voiced worries about potential psychological repercussions for adolescents, fearing that such restrictive diets could increase the risk of eating disorders, anorexia, and body dysmorphia as their relationship with food is still developing.
Globally, obesity is described by the WHO as an "escalating global epidemic," with over one billion people classified as obese and childhood obesity rates quadrupling since 1990. This Italian initiative comes as many children in the country are reportedly moving away from the traditional Mediterranean diet, once a symbol of healthy living, contributing to Italy having some of the most overweight children in Europe according to WHO data.
One participant, Salvatore, hopes for surgery to address his weight concerns, aiming to feel more confident in public spaces. The wider implications of this new legal framework and its experimental treatments underscore Italy's effort to address a growing public health challenge.