Beneficial Effects of Dietary and Lifestyle Change in Overweight and Obese Subjects

Obesity and overweight are noncommunicable diseases with increasing incidence in children, adolescents and adults. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 and over were overweight and over 650 million were obese (WHO). In the EU-27 (Eurostat data), 45.7% of women and 60.2% of men were overweight, while 16.3% and 16.8%, respectively, were obese. The growing incidence of overweight and obesity generate worldwide increasing incidence of related conditions as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic disorders, and cancer, with relevant socio-economical (increase in health costs, increase in disabilities) and environmental consequences (unsustainability of food models, increase in ecological footprint, worsening of climate changes). A transformation of food systems and individual behaviours are necessary to improve the quality of life and the sustainability of lifestyle, which should be oriented at preventing o treating overweight and obesity.