Health walking against the wear and tear of modern life
Health, walking against the wear and tear of modern life
Diabetes and obesity, real consequences of modern life and lifestyles, of urbanization and urbanization – 65 percent of people with diabetes in the world live in cities; In Italy, half of the inhabitants of cities with over 500,000 residents are overweight or obese; 4 out of 10 compatriots have sedentary behavior – Walking, even better if at a fast pace, is a good measure of prevention – Conference in the Senate of the Republic on the occasion of the 2017 European Obesity Day promoted on the initiative of Sen. Laura Bianconi
Do you remember Ernesto Calindri sitting in the middle of the chaotic city traffic? In the 60s and 70s he advertised a well-known aperitif “against the wear and tear of modern life”. Those were the years of the economic boom, which would change the face of our country: with many pros and many cons.
Among the cons, an aspect that concerns the whole western world and beyond: the transition from an mainly rural to industrial economy, the escape from the countryside to the cities. A phenomenon already widely discussed and analyzed in points of view economic and social, but for some years also the center of attention of the health authorities: World Health Organization and Governments.
“Inurb and urbanization have brought the growth of two diseases as direct consequence – diabetes and obesity – which constitute the true consequence of the wear and tear of modern life; We could even talk about OBSOGENE CITY, “he recalled Michele Carruba, Director of the Study and Research Center on obesity of the University of Milan, during the conference “Cities to walk and health”, Promoted in Rome, on the initiative of the Sen. Laura Bianconi and with the patronage of the Senate of the Republic and ANCI-National Association of Municipalities of Italy and the collaboration of Health City Institute, FIDAL-Italian Athletics Federation, Cities Changing Diabetes and Sport City 3.0, with the unconditional contribution of Novo Nordisk, on the occasion of the European Obesity Day 2017.
“Today, more than 2 out of 3 people with diabetes live in the city. According to data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 246 million (65 percent) worldwide have the disease and live in urban centers, compared to 136 million in rural areas. And the number is set to grow. ISTAT 2015 data for Italy tell us that 35.2 per cent of residents in cities with over half a million inhabitants are overweight and 9.2 per cent are obese”, he said Andrea Lenzi, President of the Health City Institute and of the Committee for Biosafety and Biotechnology and Life Sciences of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
It therefore seems that cities are “catalyst” for diabetes and obesity: those who move to the city are in fact greater probability of developing the disease than those who remain outside the large centers. “And this is a worrying fact, above all, if we consider the fact that, for the first time in the history of humanity, the majority of the population lives in urban areas, and projections estimate a progressive increase of residents in cities”, commented Robert Pella, Vice President of ANCI and European President of small Municipalities.
Greater wealth, and consequently greater food consumption, combined with a more sedentary life – it is estimated that 4 out of 10 Italians have sedentary behaviors, with a prevalence of women (44.3 percent compared to 35.15 of inactive males), and only 23.8 percent of compatriots practice a sport on an ongoing basis, he says still ISTAT – are some of the possible explanations for this phenomenon. “It is as if the city ‘fed’ diabetes and obesity, in a slow but continuous way, and it is for this reason that precisely from the cities and the style associated with city life it is necessary to start to concentrate the efforts aimed at steming these diseases. This means above all to make ‘prevention’. 8217; 80 percent of chronic diseases can be prevented following correct lifestyles, “he added Paolo Sbraccia, Past President of the Italian Sio-social of obesity.
The growth of diabetes and obesity in urban centers, however, can be fought. The collaboration between health professionals, experts in the world of motor and sports activities, administrators, urban planners, scientific world and citizens themselves can transform our cities and make them more suitable places, to proof of diabetes and obesity. In Italy an intervention has already been underway in this direction: the project City for walking and health, Initiative sponsored by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Health, the Senate of the Republic and the Coni, conceived by the school of the journey and now supported by special Fidal projects, is designed to offer concrete opportunities to promote motor activities and lifestyles healthy, factors underlying the prevention of these diseases. “It is not necessary to be a professional athlete – has explained Maurice Damilano, multi-Olympic and world walking champion and president of the ‘School of walking’ – to be healthy it’s perfectly fine to move on foot, use the path more regularly, even better if at a fast pace. This is why we have created a project, which has become an application for smartphones, which offers a proposal and solutions for getting around, at no cost, in urban centers on a human scale.
Numerous paths have been identified throughout Italy that are ideal for walking in the city, suitable for a simple motor practice, but effective from the point of view of health prevention. In this way you preserve and enhance your health and at the same time you can appreciate the cultural and natural beauties of our cities”.
“Diabetes and obesity involve not only an important social cost, but also a significant economic impact on the resources of the health system. Unfortunately they are in continuous growth and prevention, especially the defined primary one, which acts by changing lifestyles and incorrect food, is the most effective weapon to face them. Having identified a tool in the combination and city to combat metabolic diseases, giving citizens and administrators a tool as simple as it is effective, is undoubtedly meritorious, “said the Feel.
Laura Bianconi, President of the Popular Alternative Group in the Senate and member of the Hygiene and Health Commission.
From these conditions it also arises Cities Changing Diabetes, An ambitious program aimed at citing the challenge that diabetes places in large inhabited centers. Leaving from Mexico City in 2014, after visiting Copenhagen, Houston, Shanghai, Tianjin, Vancouver, Johannesburg, it arrived in Rome, the metropolis chosen for 2017 by the project promoted by University College London (UCL) and by the Danish Steno Diabetes Center, with the contribution of the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, in collaboration with national institutions, local administrations, academia and the third sector, with the aim of studying the link between diabetes and cities and promoting initiatives to safeguard health and prevent the disease. “In the cities belonging to the program, the researchers carry out investigations to identify the vulnerability areas, the dissatisfied needs of people with diabetes and identify the most suitable prevention policies and how to improve the assistance network. All in full collaboration between the different parts involved, “he explained Andrea Lenzi, As coordinator of the project in Italy. “The goal of the program is to create a unitary movement capable of stimulating, at an international and national level, political decision makers consider priority theUrban Diabetes, The phenomenon that sees the cities protagonists of the growing increase in the number of people with diabetes and therefore at the forefront in the fight against illness “.
In particular, it was announced that, within the program Cities Changing Diabetes for Rome, the “Roma Città per il Camino e della Salute” Passport has already been implemented, which provides for 22 validated urban routes for walking in the capital for a total of about 150 km, which will be increased to 250 km for a total of 50 routes overall.
At this link the message of Minister Lorenzin on the occasion of the event.
