Obesity: The Mediterranean way offers a path back to balance – Libero Quotidiano
Libero Quotidiano has just published an in-depth interview with Professor Michele Carruba and me on the occasion of the launch of our new book, Obesità, istruzioni per ribellarsi. La via mediterranea per riconquistare equilibrio, salute e libertà di scelta.
The conversation touched on alarming global trends, the roots of the obesity epidemic, and the unique opportunity Italy has to lead with science, education, and the Mediterranean model as a lifestyle of balance.
The full article is available here >>>
Obesity: The Mediterranean way offers a path back to balance
For the first time in human history, new generations may live shorter lives than their parents. Research from the University of Wisconsin shows a decline in life expectancy that mirrors another unprecedented fact: FAO data reveal that the number of people living with obesity now exceeds those suffering from hunger. Humanity risks dying more from excess nutrition than from scarcity, a dramatic reversal that forces us to rethink our relationship with food, lifestyle, and health.
Italy, however, is not starting from zero. It is the first country in the world to approve a national law addressing obesity as a chronic disease, building on the cultural and scientific heritage of the Mediterranean diet, the most balanced nutritional model available.
In the interview, Professor Michele Carruba and I revisit the scientific, cultural, and economic dimensions of obesity, and we explain why a new approach is urgently needed.
key points from the interview (and from the book)
Obesity is a disease, not a dietary mistake
Carruba reiterates what decades of science tell us: obesity is a chronic disease that fuels other diseases. Around 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are obese or on the path toward obesity. The same applies to cardiovascular conditions, liver and kidney disorders, and a wide spectrum of metabolic complications. Treating symptoms while ignoring the root cause is no longer acceptable.
The economic burden is enormous
Global obesity costs amount to 3.5 trillion dollars — a figure that reflects direct healthcare spending but excludes broader social costs. In Italy, the last estimate reached 28 billion euros and continues to rise. Prevention is not a cost; it is an investment. Every dollar spent to prevent obesity saves twelve in future treatment.
Obesity disproportionately affects the poorest
Contrary to common perception, obesity hits low-income groups hardest. Calorie-dense diets reduce hunger but increase disease. Inequality now expresses itself through food choices, access, and education.
The solution is personalized nutrition
A central message of our book is that no universal diet exists. Social-media diets create illusions of simplicity, but individuals need tailored nutritional guidance grounded in evidence. Education must start early, and school canteens play a fundamental role. Where school food programs are stronger, obesity rates are lower.
The Mediterranean way is not a set of recipes — it is a lifestyle
In our book we walk readers through how obesity develops and how it can be prevented or reversed by rediscovering the logic of the Mediterranean diet: balance, moderation, simplicity, whole foods, and social eating. Japan is a useful parallel — very different cuisine, but the same underlying principles of balanced eating and lifestyle harmony.
A public-health turning point for Italy
With the new law, obesity is now officially recognized as a chronic disease within the national system of essential care (LEA). This requires restructuring healthcare capacity and, above all, reforming medical education. Many general practitioners still treat the symptoms of obesity but not obesity itself. Updating training programs will be essential, and greater university autonomy could accelerate this change.
Our book aims to give people clarity, motivation, and tools. It is written in an accessible, evidence-based way to help readers regain balance, health, and freedom of choice — three pillars of the Mediterranean lifestyle, and the foundation of a new public-health approach Italy can lead globally.
