Many Italian families are convinced that they follow the principles of the Mediterranean diet, but the data reveal a very different reality: only 20% actually manage to put it into practice. In everyday life, in fact, there is a tendency to consume unbalanced meals, with a predominance of the so-called "4 Ps" - bread, pasta, pizza and potatoes - to which a fifth "P" is often added, represented by proteins.
Children's diets present further critical issues: rice, fruit and industrial juices are consumed daily, providing a quantity of sugar equivalent to five cans of fizzy drinks or ten spoonfuls of sugar.
This dietary trend, increasingly distant from the healthy principles of the Mediterranean tradition, is bringing Italy closer to scenarios typical of the United States, where overweight and childhood obesity are endemic problems. Currently, in Italy, four out of ten children are overweight and two out of ten are obese.
The alarm is raised by Professor Valter Longo, an expert in biogerontology and director of the Longevity Institute at the USC Davis School of Gerontology in Los Angeles. Longo, founder and president of the Fondazione Valter Longo Onlus in Italy and the Create Cures Foundation in the United States, has long highlighted the need for a change of direction to preserve the health of future generations.
The importance of food education
In order for the Mediterranean model to be truly understood and adopted, it is essential to invest in consumer food education, starting with the youngest. The Mediterranean diet is not just a list of foods, but a cultural approach that promotes balance and variety: the consumption of whole grains, legumes, seasonal vegetables, fresh fruit and extra virgin olive oil, combined with a moderate intake of animal proteins.
Educating means not only providing information on the benefits of this eating style, but also raising awareness among families on the importance of choosing healthy products and reducing the consumption of processed foods and foods rich in added sugars. It is necessary to accompany consumers in the rediscovery of local culinary traditions and in the promotion of conscious spending, which favors not only individual health but also environmental health.
Only through good nutritional education will it be possible to reverse the current trend, restoring the Mediterranean diet to its rightful central role as a model of longevity and well-being.