One in Two Adults in Italy is Overweight: What Can the Food and Beverage Sector Do?

Italy is one of the strongest representatives of Mediterranean cuisine in the world. However, the country’s current health data shows a significant gap between the healthy eating culture and the actual eating behaviors of the population.

According to the 2025 data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), 46.4% of the population aged 18 and over is overweight or obese. Of this, 34.8% is overweight, while 11.6% falls into the obesity category. The number of adults living with obesity is approximately 5.75 million.

In its assessment dated August 31, 2026, Gambero Rosso considers this situation a warning for Italy’s food culture and opens a discussion about the food world’s responsibility for health. However, it is not correct to place the burden solely on restaurants or individual foods. Obesity is a chronic health issue influenced by many factors, including nutrition, physical activity, income, education, age, environment, and access to healthcare.

The Rate Among Adults Has Increased in the Last Decade

One important detail in ISTAT data is that while the overall overweight rate has not shown significant jumps in recent years, obesity has been rising in the long term.

In 2015, 9.8% of the adult population was in the obesity category, while this rate increased to 11.6% in 2025. During the same period, the share of the overweight population decreased from 35.5% to 34.8%.

This means that the relatively stable trend in the overall overweight indicator does not imply that the higher-risk group of obesity is not increasing.

Gender differences are also pronounced.

In 2025, 55.1% of men are overweight or obese, while the rate is 38.2% for women. Obesity reaches its highest levels particularly in the 65-74 age group.

The implications of this data for HORECA are broader than simply dividing customers into "dieters" and "non-dieters."

An aging population, the prevalence of chronic diseases, and the expectation for more conscious eating may increasingly influence menu design.

The Situation Among Children is More Delicate

Data on children and adolescents in Italy also requires attention.

According to ISTAT, in the 2024-2025 period, 26% of those aged 3-17 are overweight. This corresponds to approximately 2 million children and adolescents. In the 3-10 age group, the rate rises to 32.3%.

The OKkio alla SALUTE system, which tracks childhood obesity in Italy, shows a similar picture.

In 2023 measurements, 19% of third-grade primary school students were classified as overweight, and 9.8% as obese; a 2.6% segment was identified as severely obese. The study covered over 46,000 children.

Regional differences are also quite high.

ISS notes that the rates of overweight and obesity among children are generally higher in southern Italy. The same research also reveals that the prevalence of obesity is higher in socioeconomically disadvantaged families.

These two findings are significant.

The issue cannot be explained solely by "wrong food choices."

Price.

Access.

Education.

Living environment.

Opportunities for physical activity.

The family’s work schedule.

All of these factors affect eating behavior.

The Mediterranean Diet Alone Does Not Provide Protection

Perhaps the most instructive aspect of the Italian example for the gastronomy sector is here.

Having a strong healthy eating tradition in a country does not automatically mean that the population eats according to this model.

According to the OKkio alla SALUTE research, 10.9% of children do not have breakfast, and 36.5% consume inadequate quality breakfasts. 66.9% of them are considered to have excessively large morning snacks.

25.9% of children do not consume fruits or vegetables daily. 18.5% did not engage in any physical activity the day before the survey; 45.1% spent more than two hours a day in front of screens.

This is why the belief that "there is no obesity in a Mediterranean diet country" does not align with real-life data.

Portion size, consumption frequency, snacking behavior, and physical activity are also important, in addition to the dietary model.

The Restaurant's Role is Not to Treat

The Gambero Rosso article makes a strong call for responsibility to the food sector. However, it is necessary to correctly define the role of restaurants and chefs.

A restaurant is not a healthcare institution that treats obesity.

A chef does not replace a doctor or dietitian.

There are more concrete things that the food and beverage sector can do:

Offer portion options.

Move vegetable and legume-heavy main dishes to the visible part of the menu.

Make water and sugar-free beverages easily accessible.

Remove the children’s menu from just fried foods, pizza, and sugary drinks.

Avoid framing product descriptions in "guilt" or "cheat" language.

Do not make it difficult for guests to request smaller portions.

None of these turn the restaurant into a healthcare institution.

But they change the guest's choice environment.

Portion Size is Also a Commercial Issue

In restaurants, large portions are often used as an indicator of "good value."

Especially in times of rising prices, the size of the plate may be increased so that the customer feels they are getting their money's worth.

However, increasing the portion is not the only way to create value.

Better ingredients.

Stronger techniques.

Better presentation.

Higher quality service.

More original recipes.

All of these can support price perception.

From a business perspective, separately pricing smaller portion options can also create advantages in terms of food cost and waste control.

The goal here is not to send the message of "eat less" to the customer; it is to provide options suitable for different appetites and needs.

The Children's Menu is One of the Most Obvious Areas for Improvement

Considering the high rates of overweight in childhood, one of the most concrete intervention areas for the HORECA sector is children's menus.

In many markets, the children's menu still revolves around;

french fries,

nuggets,

burgers,

pizza,

pasta

and sugary drinks.

The problem is not just the presence of these products on the menu.

The problem is often that no other options are left for the child.

Restaurants can offer smaller portions of the standard menu to children.

They can make vegetable sides the default option.

They can make water more visible in drink choices.

They can add fruit or yogurt-based alternatives to the dessert options.

This approach offers families more choices and can reduce the need for the kitchen to produce a separate "children's food" line.

Healthy Products Do Not Automatically Mean Low Sales

One of the concerns of HORECA businesses is that more balanced products may not receive sufficient demand from customers.

Here, menu engineering is important.

When a product is attempted to be sold solely with a "healthy" label, taste, enjoyment, and gastronomy may be perceived as secondary.

However, a good vegetable dish, a legume plate, or a fish dish must first be delicious.

The health quality can be a secondary advantage.

This is one of the significant contributions that the gastronomy world can make.

Transforming healthy eating from a punitive, tasteless, or "diet product" category into something gastronomically appealing.

Socioeconomic Differences Also Affect Pricing

It is an important warning that childhood obesity is associated with socioeconomic disadvantage in ISS data.

If healthy eating is only offered to consumers who can access premium products, the system's impact on broader segments will remain limited.

Therefore, the sector's response should not just be an expensive "wellness menu."

Mass catering companies.

School meals.

Staff cafeterias.

Fast-casual businesses.

Chain restaurants.

Ready meal producers.

The scale of these is much broader.

Especially in employee meals and mass feeding, product reformulation can affect thousands of meals with small changes.

A Significant Sector Question for Turkey as Well

The data from Italy does not represent the Turkish population.

Therefore, it is not correct to transfer the rates to Turkey.

However, the Italian example clearly shows that a strong food culture does not automatically create healthy consumption behavior.

In Turkey, the issue can also be addressed more broadly than just the question of "should we add a diet menu?"

Is there a portion standard?

How is the children's menu designed?

Is there enough vegetables and legumes in staff meals?

Is sugary drink the default option?

Are there size alternatives for products on the menu?

Is the relationship between food waste and portion size measured?

These questions are related to health as well as operations and costs.

Stafflink's View

In our opinion, it is not a correct approach to place the burden of obesity solely on the consumer's will or solely on the food industry.

The issue is the result of a much broader system.

However, HORECA is one of the visible parts of this system and can make changes in areas under its control.

The most applicable starting point is not grand health slogans.

Portion, children's menu, product variety, and default choices.

A restaurant should not decide what a guest will eat.

But it should not unnecessarily complicate access to a healthy option.

The real opportunity for the gastronomy sector lies here: to make balanced eating a natural part of a good dining experience, rather than a "sacrifice."