The Mediterranean Diet's Dark Mirror: Italy's Unsettling Obesity Epidemic Italian children and teenagers are struggling with obesity at alarming rates, despite their country's reputation as a bastion of healthy eating.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Italian kids are among the most overweight in Europe, with over 40% of eight and nine year olds in some parts of the Campania region classified as obese.
Italy's Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil, has long been touted as a model for healthy eating.