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eenagers increasingly sedentary after Covid-19. In Italy only 8.2% of adolescents carry out at least one hour a day of physical activity (moderate-intense) as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), 18.2% are overweight and 4, 4% obese. The post-pandemic period shows a clear worsening in the lifestyles of those under 18 in our country. Before the health emergency (2018), overweight affected 16.6% and obesity 3.2% of 11, 13 and 15 year olds. Physical activity levels were also better (10%), although lower than the international average (19%). Alarming data, which must place prevention at the top of the list of priorities. This is why Foce (Federation of Oncologists, Cardiologists and Hematologists) launches, together with the Ministry of Sport and CONI, the new edition of ‘Health Allied Coach’ to promote healthy lifestyles, a 360-degree project aimed primarily at adolescents , but structured to reach all citizens, including those over 65. The project, the first in the world to raise awareness among coaches in adolescent health education, is presented today in a press conference in the CONI Council room, moderated by Alessandro Antinelli, Rai Journalist, and Mauro Boldrini, Director of Communications at Foce.
The data say that “alcohol abuse increases in particular among 15-year-old girls: those who declare having gotten drunk at least twice in their life are 21% (in 2018 they were 16%). And incorrect lifestyles they tend to worsen with advancing age: almost 30% of adults are completely sedentary and 24% smoke. Emblematic – continues Foce – is the condition of excess weight, which affects a total of around 17 million citizens over 18 (12,900. 000 overweight and 4,100,000 obese). Those who have problems with the scale are 27% of 18-24 year olds, 54% of over 50s, reaching 59% of 65-74 year olds”.
“The very recent constitutional reform on ‘sports activity as an essential element of psychophysical well-being’ makes awareness campaigns on primary prevention indispensable – explains Francesco Cognetti, president of Foce -. In recent months we have signed memoranda of understanding with the Ministry of Sport and CONI, aimed at promoting information projects on healthy lifestyles. The new edition of ‘Health Allied Coach’ is placed in this context and is a major national campaign to make the entire population understand the importance of physical activity and make sport one of the elements that accompany citizens’ daily lives. All this alongside the strong incentive to follow a healthy diet, to say no to smoking and alcohol abuse. The combination of these actions can have a very important impact on the incidence of serious pathologies, such as tumors and cardiovascular diseases”.
“A few days ago – states Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth – the constitutional amendment to article 33 was approved, which recognizes the educational, social and promotion value of psychophysical well-being of sporting activity in all its forms. We have the task of contributing, in our respective roles, including those of a sporting nature, to the transformation of the recognized value into an acquired right, to sport for all and everyone. It will be fundamental to consider physical and sporting activity an ‘immune defence’ in its individual dimension, for the benefit of physical and social health, referring to that of communities. We need to contribute to the improvement of lifestyles, combating sedentary lifestyle, with its damage and costs, and sport can and must play a role increasingly incisive, increasingly useful, educational and effective from the perspective of prevention, even before that of treatment, which we must promote in a convincing, systematic and widespread way”.
“Sport is everyone’s heritage, it unites and overcomes every barrier – underlines Senator Antonio Iannone, first signatory of the Constitutional Reform on Sport -. The recognition of sporting activity in Article 33 of the Constitution is very important. Millions of sports practitioners, from grassroots to champions, were waiting for this recognition. For sport, this is a new beginning, awaited for 75 years.”
“We have created 5 information leaflets to distribute in schools, on smoking, diet, alcohol, physical activity and mental health – continues Cognetti -. The pandemic, in fact, has also had negative repercussions on the mental well-being of young people. Around 30% of adolescents suffer from psychological distress, which manifests itself in the form of depression and anxiety. Sports activity helps reduce mood disorders and improve self-esteem. In most cases, incorrect behavior begins at a very young age and the sports coach can play a very important role in influencing the behavior of children. The campaign will have a strong impact on social media, with a large awareness space also on the web TV ‘Allanetore Ally di Salute'”. The project is carried out with the unconditional contribution of Poste Italiane, MSD and Pfizer.
“Cancer is the most curable and preventable of chronic pathologies: 40% of tumors, equal to over 156 thousand cases every year in Italy, are avoidable thanks to healthy lifestyles – recalls Foce – Smoking is the risk factor with the greatest impact, to which at least 43,000 deaths per year from cancer in our country are attributable. And smokers are two to four times more likely to develop a cardiovascular disease than non-smokers. Of all the deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases, approximately one in five it is connected to smoking. Furthermore, it is estimated that excess weight, in our country, is responsible for over 64,000 deaths (10% of all deaths) and over 571,000 years lived with disability”.
“The world of sport must set a good example for the whole of society – states Giovanni Malagò, Coni president -. It is demonstrated by numerous scientific studies that, thanks to physical activity, it is possible to avoid serious diseases. Sport exerts preventive and therapeutic effects and can be compared to a drug which, when appropriately administered, prevents pathologies such as tumors and cardiovascular diseases and prevents their development, guaranteeing considerable advantages for both citizens and the healthcare system. To combat incorrect lifestyles, a real cultural revolution is needed, which must concern not only adolescents but also adults and the elderly.”
“Prevention also involves the creation of a new culture of health and it is important to start with young people, with initiatives such as ‘Health Allied Coach’, up to the over 65s – underlines Rocco Bellantone, extraordinary commissioner of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità – . The sustainability of the healthcare system significantly depends on primary prevention and awareness campaigns that go in this direction are an indispensable investment. The alliance between the world of medicine and that of sport therefore can only represent a winning combination for promoting healthy lifestyles”.
“Excessive sedentary behavior literally weighs down the heart and it has been shown that spending too much time sitting as a child can double the risk of a heart attack or stroke as an adult – explains Pasquale Perrone Filardi, president of the Italian Society of Cardiology – Another bad habit to combat is cigarette smoking, which is correlated with an early onset of cardiovascular diseases, which in male smokers appear approximately 5 years earlier, while in females almost 4 years earlier. Furthermore, in smokers the risk of cardiovascular diseases is also higher at a younger age than their non-smoking peers”. ‘Allied Health Coach’ is an extremely innovative project – highlights Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) -. I am happy that football has led the way in this initiative, which has now also involved other sports. Through the coach-athlete relationship of trust and thanks to the extraordinary communication speed of football, the teaching of correct lifestyles reaches young people directly, contributing to improving the state of health of civil society as a whole”.
From 2016 to today, ‘Allied Health Coach’ has provided, in addition to specific training courses aimed at coaches to convey correct prevention messages to young people, the creation and distribution of ad hoc information material and activities on social media. Having started in Italy, it has also become a virtuous example for other European states and has been endorsed by UEFA with the “Coaches for Health” programme. After football, the project involved other sports, in particular basketball and rowing.
“The pandemic and Covid-19 have also had harmful effects in terms of continuous sporting practice – say Gianni Petrucci, national president of Fip, Italian Basketball Federation and Giuseppe Abbagnale, president of Fic, Italian Rowing Federation -. We are proud to collaborate with Foce, for a great initiative that aims to strengthen the winning combination of sport and health. Encouraging sport among young people represents an investment for the entire society both in terms of health and education”. “As a man of sport I am honored to be part, as a testimonial and ambassador, of the ‘Health Allied Coach’ project – concludes Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach -. Every day you need to train to preserve your psychophysical well-being, also following some simple rules from childhood. Through this project we want to encourage the growth of tomorrow’s athletes. We must also be champions in life, taking care of our health.”
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