ROMA (ITALPRESS) – The final results of the survey carried out under the “Obesity” campaign were presented today in Rome at Federfarma. Don’t ignore it, let’s face it together”, a project of Cittadinanzattiva in collaboration with Federfarma and realized with the unconditional support of Lilly. From March to June 2025, the survey involved 1509 pharmacies and 5543 citizens throughout Italy, with the aim of increasing empowerment, awareness and awareness of the risks related to obesity. 74.1% of citizens consider themselves “informed enough” (58.3%) or “very informed” (15.8%) about obesity. For 66.6% of them it is a real disease, for 27.3% it is only partially; 6.2% do not think so. 82.7% of those who consider it disease are important to address it as well as other chronic diseases. 46.7% think that obesity in some cases is more common among people in disadvantaged socio-economic conditions. Obesity is perceived as a significant risk factor for other pathologies, mainly: cardiovascular disease (90.1%), metabolic diseases – diabetes (84%), respiratory diseases (68.9%). About half of respondents believe that people with obesity need understanding and support. 43.8% agree that discrimination and marginalization adversely affect the management of the condition. 34.5% recognise discrimination in various contexts such as school or work. and 23.1% recognizes strong social prejudice (who is obese or overweight is often perceived as lazy and demotivated). Approximately a quarter of the overweight people started a specific cure, 35.7% never did, and over 33% left the cure as it was discouraged by the lack of results or the difficulty in managing care. Integrated by a socio-demographic section and a dedicated to the detection of anthropometric parameters for the calculation of BMI (Index Massa Corporea) and BAI (Index Adiposità Corporea), the questionnaire also allowed very important information regarding the perceived causes of obesity: 50% of respondents believe that obesity is associated pathologies or metabolic alterations, while the other half believes it depends on psychological factors or hereditary factors. What amazes is that over 92% binds obesity to food excess and almost 90% to physical inactivity. Relevant, again, is the relationship between the perception of one’s own weight (self-perception) and the real condition: 44.8% of the respondents are considered normal, 32.9% slightly overweight, 14.6% overweight and 4.3% obesity. However, the evaluation of anthropometric parameters revealed that 60% of women are in overweight or obesity conditions (40.5% obese, 19,6% overweight). Similar data for 60.2% of men (35.6% obese, 24.6% overweight). A survey was completed between pharmacists who participated in the campaign, with a brief questionnaire aimed at detecting positive and critical aspects. The pharmacists involved have highlighted mainly two types of difficulty: not all pharmacies have adequate or personal spaces to devote to this type of activity, difficult to carry out while working at the counter; Several citizens have shown a certain retrosy to be involved in the investigation, because they are embarrassed or not aware of their health condition. The respondent pharmacists have also made proposals for future campaigns, suggesting that they involve doctors and adapt communication strategies taking into account the critical issues that emerged. “We are proud to present the results of our campaign – says Tiziana Nicoletti, Head of National Coordination Associations Chronic and rare diseases of Cittadinanzattiva – because, thanks to the valuable contribution of our scientific board and collaboration with Federfarma, we have raised thousands of citizens on this important and very current issue. We also want to underline how this initiative fits into a crucial moment, with Law 741/2025 which finally recognizes obesity as chronic disease. Our commitment is to continue to promote an integrated and direct approach also to combat social stigma. Indeed, with “Obesity. Don’t ignore it, let’s face it together” we want to keep two messages together: the first is not to ignore it as obesity is not a fact of personal will, but a disease that deserves diagnosis, treatments, protection from discrimination and support in the contexts of daily life. The second message is to face obesity together because only a choral approach that unites citizens, professionals and decision makers can reduce inequalities, promote effective prevention and ensure multidisciplinary, continuous and uniform treatment paths”. “The pharmacies have collaborated with conviction in this campaign, because it addresses a very current theme of strong impact from the health, social and economic point of view,” says Marco Cossolo, president of Federfarma Nazionale. “Obesity in fact – continues – is a pathology from which a series of negative consequences arise for the patient’s psychophysical condition and therefore for the sustainability of the Health Service. An even more complex situation, as emerges from the survey of Cittadinanzattiva, from the fact that those with obesity tend to hide or not recognize their condition. This was experienced by pharmacists involved in the campaign, who experienced difficulty in approaching the patient and had to refine their communication strategies to start dialogue and carry out the activities planned. Activities that, on the other hand, are part of the cognitive services normally performed by the community pharmacy, for the purpose of taking charge and monitoring the chronic patient in collaboration with other health professionals.” The data of the survey are made in the proposals to counter the obesity that conclude the document: five key areas, starting from the request for regulatory reinforcement through the approval of the implementing decrees of Law 741/2025, the inclusion of obesity in the LEA and the approval of the New National Plan of Cronity 2025. Therefore, a better organization of care is proposed by the creation of Obesity Centres, uniform treatment paths and the establishment of a national register. The third area covers education and awareness, with compulsory courses for health workers, the fight against stigma and the involvement of civic organizations in the National Observatory. The fourth area includes concrete actions such as educational programs in schools, targeted tax policies and the redevelopment of urban spaces. Finally, it aims at sustainability and fair access to care, ensuring the reimbursement of treatments and a fair access to bariatric surgery. The survey and all the information and materials of “Obesity. Don’t ignore it, let’s face it together” are available on the website of Cittadinanzattiva.
– Lilly Italia press office photos –
(ITALPRESS).
