Childhood and juvenile obesity in Italy: Health promotion in an era of austerity

Abstract

Over the last decade, Italy has witnessed a significant increase in the prevalence of childhood and juvenile obesity. The prevalence of childhood and juvenile obesity, common to most Western and European countries, produces important effects in the lives of today’s younger generations and can engender, in a medium- to long-term perspective, serious consequences for the physical health and well-being of future generations. Since 2008, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has accentuated an already existing process, by contributing to a decline in food quality, a deterioration in eating habits and an evident decrease in investments in healthcare. In Italy, these developments bring new and unfamiliar challenges for health promotion.