The bill on obesity, signed by the Honorable Roberto Pella (FI), which aims to become the first law in the world specific to the disease, will arrive in the Chamber in July, just scheduled after approval in the Affairs Committee social. Among the main points of the legislation is the recognition as a disease to be included in the essential levels of assistance, with free treatment by the National Health Service.
The plan also provides for the inclusion of obesity in the National Chronic Disease Plan and the commitment for the Regions to provide, in their respective territorial health plans, initiatives aimed, among other things, at guaranteeing full access to care and treatments nutritional, pharmaceutical and surgical.
The objectives also include the creation of regional networks for assistance to people with obesity, through the integration of regional reference centers for the treatment of obesity with bariatric surgery and local medicine. Furthermore, the establishment of the Observatory for the study of obesity at the Ministry of Health is envisaged, with the tasks of monitoring, studying and disseminating the lifestyles of the Italian population.
“Obesity represents a global emergency, which also strongly affects our country, and which requires the activation of concrete paths to combat and prevent it”, explains Pella, who is also president of the parliamentary intergroup ‘Obesity, diabetes and diseases chronic non-communicable’.
“The epidemic of obesity and non-communicable diseases, together with the aging of the population, seriously threatens health systems. Recognizing obesity as a real disease and addressing it as a national priority is the main content of the bill with my first signature. Italy will thus be the first country to have a similar law and will also be able to act as its spokesperson at European level: the law will be fundamental for launching prevention initiatives, for example by linking them to sporting events, and also information and raising awareness to reduce the stigma that this disease brings with it”, adds Pella.
“Today, from a scientific point of view, we finally have a series of strategies to deal with obesity, which can allow us doctors to intervene in a congruous and adequate manner for the various types of the disease, personalizing the therapy. At this point, however , we need support from society and, above all, from politics”, highlights Andrea Lenzi, president of Open Italy and president of the technical-scientific committee of the parliamentary Intergroup. “Politics’ acceptance of this emergency as a priority on their agenda is fundamental and the rapid approval of such a law is not only desirable, but necessary”, he concludes. .
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