Prevention

Obesity is a disease: Italy first country to recognise it with law passed

An Observatory and a National Programme are created to raise awareness and train the population but there is no inclusion in the Essential Levels of Care

by Barbara Gobbi

1 October 2025

6' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

6' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Italy is the first country in the world to approve a law recognising obesity as a true 'progressive and relapsing' disease. The Senate has in fact definitively approved in the text already dismissed by the Chamber of Deputies, the Ddl (As. 1483) that dictates provisions for the prevention and treatment of obesity: a text in just six articles that nevertheless affects the condition of about 6 million Italians, too often affected by stigma.
An issue of priority interest for the health of the population, but also a priority in terms of costs: overweight and obesity are such a planetary emergency that the World Obesity Atlas predicts that the global economic impact will reach 4.32 trillion dollars a year by 2035 if prevention and treatment measures do not improve.

Priority obesity

As Roberto Pella himself, group leader in the Budget Committee at the Chamber of Deputies for Forza Italia, President of the Parliamentary Intergroup 'Obesity, diabetes and chronic non-communicable diseases' and first signatory of the law, explains: 'Obesity represents a global emergency, which also strongly affects our country. Having recognised it today, thanks to the vote of the Senate Chamber, as a real disease testifies to the full will to tackle it as a national priority'. Then, thealong with thanks to Ministers Schillaci (Health) and Giorgetti (Mef) and Health Undersecretary Gemmato, a "special memory goes to Silvio Berlusconi," explained Mr Pella, "whose support for the approval of this law has never been lacking since the 2019 motion.

For Health Minister Schillaci, 'passing a law against obesity is a sign of civilisation that Italy is once again giving in the field of public health'. Regarding the introduction of obesity in the essential levels of care, requested by the oppositions that abstained from voting on the law in Parliament, Schillaci said: 'We are evaluating. There are many things to be included in the LEAs, but I believe that having approved a law on obesity shows the attention we pay to public health' . The minister then stressed that 'the direction is to focus on prevention. Obesity,' he said, 'is recognised as a disease and is a risk factor for many chronic degenerative, metabolic and oncological diseases'. Therefore, he concluded, 'we will look carefully at prevention in this area and also at specific training to combat this type of pathology'.

First of all, the law provides for the recognition of obesity as a pathology with but, as mentioned above, does not include the pathology in the Essential Levels of Care for the time being. Rather, Article 2 makes a reference to the provision of services included in the Essential Levels of Care (LEA) to persons suffering from obesity.

The text aims to finance a 'national programme for the prevention and treatment of obesity' that will promote initiatives ranging from breastfeeding to the promotion of sporting activities and knowledge of the main dietary rules in schools and among parents, to supporting training and refresher courses on obesity and overweight among university students, family doctors, paediatricians and NHS personnel.

The Observatory for the Study of Obesity is also to be established at the Ministry of Health, with the task of monitoring, studying and disseminating lifestyles among Italians. "With this vote, our Parliament will place Italy as the first country in the world to recognise obesity as a disease, demonstrating maturity and far-sightedness with respect to one of the main, if not the most urgent, global health challenge," Pella concludes.

The resources earmarked for the National Programme for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity amount to EUR 700,000 for the year 2025, EUR 800,000 for the year 2026 and EUR 1.2 million annually as of 2027. Resources to be allocated to the regions by decree. Provision is also made for a permanent appropriation of €400,000 per year as from 2025, for the promotion of training and refresher courses, on the subject of obesity and overweight, for university students, general practitioners, freely chosen paediatricians and National Health Service personnel involved in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of obesity.

Critical objections

The oppositions, with the PD abstaining, consider the law a first step and not a turning point in the fight against the disease. 'Our main criticism,' explains Ylenia Zambito (PD), 'concerns the absence of a decisive step: the inclusion of obesity in the Essential Levels of Care. Without this recognition in the LEA, there is no guarantee of uniform paths and enforceable rights for patients throughout the country. Moreover, the measure neglects prevention and nutrition education in schools, does not provide for coordination with the law under discussion on eating disorders, and merely allocates totally inadequate resources. It is the usual logic of this majority - concludes the Dem senator -: measures announced as epoch-making, which however lack courage and do not guarantee sufficient funds to make them concrete. This is why the Democratic Party group abstains: the text represents a starting point, but not yet a point of arrival'.

"In the original text, two decisive measures were foreseen: the recognition of obesity as a chronic disease and the care of people with multidisciplinary teams. In the House, both were deleted. The reason? Lack of resources. The right cannot think of fighting obesity with good intentions alone. Adequate funding is needed, not window-dressing campaigns. The health service remains underfunded. We agree on the need for action, but without resources this law remains hollow and therefore we abstain'. This is one of the criticisms of the law text that came from Green and Left Alliance Senator Tino Magni.

Italy beacon for Europe

The transversal hope is that Italy, the first country in the world to have such a law, can also be its spokesperson at a European level: the law, as its promoter recalled, 'will be fundamental in launching prevention and awareness initiatives, for example by linking them to sports events held throughout the country, starting with municipalities and regions, and also information campaigns to reduce the stigma and episodes of bullying and discrimination that, unfortunately, this disease brings with it'.

Patients: beginning of a journey

The approval of the law coincides with the opening in Trieste of the 12th National Congress of the Italian Obesity Society (Sio), which brings together leading Italian and international experts. "Sio is very happy for the approval of the Pella Law, a historic step that definitively confirms for the first time in the world a specific and systematic legislation on obesity as a disease, a point of no return and a source of pride for Italy," says President Rocco Barazzoni. "We are also satisfied because our Scientific Society has contributed to this important step forward. We thank the Hon. Pella and all the parliamentarians; we still have a lot of work ahead of us to bring into daily clinical practice and among patients the possibility of access to prevention and treatment, which are central to the law, but are still not available to all citizens'.

Patients' associations played an important role together with the scientific and academic world in bringing the Pella Bill to fruition. "We are very pleased to finally see the law recognising obesity as a pathology passed. We have waited a long time for this moment, and it is an important step towards overcoming the stigma and fully protecting the rights of Italian patients with obesity,' comments Iris Zani, President of the Associazione Amici Obesi (Obese Friends Association). 'Although this is a historic moment, the first law on obesity worldwide, for us it does not represent a goal, but the beginning of a journey. It is now necessary for the competent institutions to take urgent action to guarantee patients real protection and adequate treatment paths. In particular, we await the approval and implementation of the National Chronicity Plan, to see its effectiveness in taking care of people with obesity and, even more so, we await the updating of the Lea with the inclusion of services for the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients with obesity. Every day without concrete action is a day when thousands of citizens are left without answers, treatment and dignity. The health of people with obesity cannot wait any longer'.