A recent Istat survey titled “Aspects of Daily Life” highlights concerning health and lifestyle trends in Italy. It reveals that almost half of the adult population is overweight or obese.
Additionally, 1 in 6 Italians consumes excessive amounts of alcohol, and 1 in 5 smokes. Alarmingly, unhealthy habits are also prevalent among the youngest members of society, with one-third of children under 10 overweight and 1 in 30 adolescents drinking alcohol regularly.
Smoking Habits
The 2023 survey indicates that 18.7% of Italians aged 11 and over are smokers, a slight decrease from 19% in 2022. Of these, 3.5% smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day. Smoking remains more common among men (22.3%) than women (15.2%). However, the gender gap is narrowing due to a decline in smoking among men while rates among women remain relatively stable. Young adults aged 25–34 represent the highest proportion of smokers, at 26.9%.
Alcohol Consumption
Approximately 8 million Italians regularly consume excessive amounts of alcohol or report episodes of binge drinking. This behaviour is more common among men (21.2%) than women (9.2%). Among older adults over 65, excessive alcohol consumption is often linked to habitual wine drinking during meals, affecting 54.6% of men and 64.6% of women in this age group.
Among younger individuals, 15.7% of those aged 11–17 reported drinking at least one alcoholic beverage in the past year, with 2.8% engaging in weekly or daily drinking or binge drinking, despite being below the legal drinking age.
Weight Issues
Excess weight remains a significant issue, with 46.3% of Italians aged 18 and over classified as overweight or obese in 2023. Among these, 34.6% are overweight, and 11.8% are obese. While the overall figures are stable compared to 2022, there has been a slight increase in the proportion of obese individuals.
Children’s weight trends are particularly troubling. Between 2022 and 2023, 26.7% of minors aged 3–17 were classified as overweight, with the percentage rising to 33% among children aged 3–10.
Physical Activity
The report shows a modest improvement in physical activity levels. In 2023, 35% of Italians aged 3 and older were classified as sedentary, a decrease of 2.2% from the previous year and 6% compared to a decade ago.
Gender Disparities in Health
The Ministry of Health’s report on gender medicine highlights disparities in chronic illness and mental health. Women are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions, with 149.6 cases per 1,000 compared to 144.7 per 1,000 for men. The gap widens when examining individuals with two or more chronic diseases, affecting 244 women per 1,000 compared to 170 men.
However, women demonstrate healthier lifestyle choices overall, reflected in lower rates of preventable mortality. Men show higher avoidable mortality rates (21.7 per 10,000 inhabitants) compared to women (11.6 per 10,000), largely driven by preventable causes linked to lifestyle choices.
Conclusion
The Istat survey paints a mixed picture of Italy’s public health. While there are signs of improvement in physical activity levels, challenges remain in combating obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption.
