The “Italian Mediterranean diet” is “a heritage of our territory that we must recover, enhance, pass on, representing the healthiest food model par excellence. Strict adherence to the Italian Mediterranean diet is in fact associated with a reduction in overall mortality of almost 10% , of mortality from cardiovascular pathology by 10%, from neoplasms by 6%, for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s up to 13%.On the other hand, non-adherence to the Italian Mediterranean diet, smoking habits, sedentary life, reduce the expectation almost 5 years in 20 years and more than 10 years in 40 years”. This was stated by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci, speaking on the final day of the national conference on nutrition at the dicastery.
“These are data – he explained – which confirm to us that we must pursue a double objective. The first is to increase adherence to the Italian Mediterranean diet especially in regions where the adequacy index registers low percentages, with initiatives to increase Italian awareness of importance of eating in a healthy and balanced way to live in good health”. And then, added Schillaci, it is necessary “to start afresh from the choice and promotion of healthy and local foods, to bring the products of our land to the table. Olive oil has been mentioned several times, but there are many Italian productions on to invest in”.