Prevalenza di sovrappeso e obesità in Italia: questione meridionale o disagio sociale?

Overweight and obesity represent a topic of growing interest for most of the national healthcare plans of developed countries, mainly due to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity, and to their presence as a risk factor for many other noncommunicable diseases. The present work aims at providing a profile of overweight and obesity in Italy, and to analyze the impact of different territorial and socioeconomic risk factors. Data derived from Istat survey on “Health conditions and healthcare utilization” 2005 and 2013 are used, and Prevalence Risk Ratio estimates are derived through modified Poisson regression models. The results show higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in the South, which depends mainly from the different distribution of exposed to risk factors, rather than on differences in their mix. From the policy perspective, the results could orient specific prevention actions oriented to high-risk population segments, withouth ignoring the territorial dimension of social inequalities.