Italy and Spain Facing Obesity Epidemic as Strategies to Combat Remain in Development
Italy is set to make history as the first country to legally recognize obesity as a progressive and recurring disease, following a growing international effort to address obesity as a significant health issue. This recognition could pave the way for increased access to free or subsidized treatments for those affected by obesity, potentially reducing long-term healthcare costs by preventing complications and improving health outcomes.
The Italian legislation allows those affected by obesity to receive free treatment from the National Health Service, although the exact resources for anti-obesity treatments have yet to be specified, leaving room for future allocation. The treatments under the law may include visits, analyses, new drugs, bariatric surgery, and medical indications on lifestyles such as the prescription of physical activity.
One in three Italians are overweight, and one in ten are obese, making the country's obesity problem a pressing concern. Obesity triggers chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers, which are costly to treat and pose a significant burden on the National Health Service. The direct and indirect costs of obesity on the National Health Service in Italy are estimated to exceed 13 billion euros annually.
Andrea Lenzi, an endocrinologist, emphasizes that the cost of obesity is so high that any intelligent state would be better off treating it before it becomes a problem. Each year, obesity results in approximately 4 million deaths globally, making it a worldwide concern, globally referred to as an "epidemic" by the WHO.
The lack of resources for free treatment is a significant problem in many countries, including Italy. However, the Italian law allocates resources for an Obesity Observatory and information campaigns on prevention. The process for an obese individual to receive treatment under the law involves a referral from a family doctor to a specialized outpatient clinic and then to a regional specialist center for diagnosis and treatment plan.
Italy is not alone in facing this challenge. In Spain, one in two people are overweight, and almost 20% are obese. Around 650 million people globally are obese, and approximately 1.9 billion people worldwide are overweight. Italy is second in Europe for the number of obese or overweight children, highlighting the need for urgent action.
Implementing extensive obesity management programs could initially increase costs for the National Health Service, including investments in education campaigns, healthcare infrastructure, and staffing to support obesity treatment programs. However, over time, effective management of obesity could lead to significant savings for the National Health Service by reducing the incidence of related chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, which are costly to treat.
GPs play a crucial role in monitoring and managing obesity. Implementing a clinical pathway that involves GPs, community nurses, and specialists could enhance the management of obesity, potentially reducing costs by preventing complications and improving outcomes.
In conclusion, while specific details about Italy's plan are not yet fully outlined, recognizing obesity as a disease could lead to increased access to free or subsidized treatments, potentially reducing long-term healthcare costs by preventing complications and improving health outcomes. However, the initial implementation may require significant investment. The success of Italy's initiative could serve as a model for other countries seeking to address the growing global obesity epidemic.
The Italian law, recognizing obesity as a progressive and recurring disease, will potentially allocate resources for anti-obesity treatments such as bariatric surgery, medical indications on nutritional lifestyle changes, and visits, under the National Health Service. This recognition aims to address the significant health issue posed by chronic diseases associated with obesity, like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which are costly to treat and have high economic burdens on the healthcare system. The successful implementation of the law could serve as a model for other countries dealing with the global obesity epidemic and its associated health-and-wellness concerns.
