Think about health. It should be said by reading that 9 euros per liter of the price of extra virgin olive oil . In these circumstances, it is usual to look into people’s pockets: the cost of living is taken exclusively as an economic factor. But this time it’s different. When you can’t afford quality food for dinner, it’s your health that pays the price. Saving leads to poor nutrition, which in turn is a precursor to non-communicable diseases. L’obesity, for example. A silent pandemic with a devastating impact, in terms of social balance and health costs. To date, FAO projections give us, by 2035, 1 billion obese people, out of the total 8 of the world population, plus another 4 who are potentially obese or overweight. According to our calculations, this trend risks leading us, as early as 2030, to a reduction in life expectancy. It would be the first in the history of humanity.
Yes, but what does overpriced oil have to do with all this? Is simple. In fact, among the causes of the increase in obesity is the absence of a healthy diet, which is fundamental for the prevention of non-communicable diseases, but which – following food inflation – is unaffordable for many families. Extra virgin olive oil is precisely one of those products that contributes most to a person’s health. As shown by the data from the study carried out by the University of Milan with the Carapelli nutritional institute (Carruba, Nisoli et al.), its monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols lead to a healthier metabolic profile, reducing body weight and blood glucose levels, thus mitigating the risk of diabetes. Through advanced genetic and metabolic analysis techniques, researchers have identified new ways in which extra virgin olive oil and polyphenols influence metabolism.
Diets rich in extra virgin olive oil help combat obesity and the pathologies associated with it. However, whether for reasons of fashion or for high cost of living, even in our country – the cradle of the Mediterranean diet – that lifestyle linked to a balanced and quality diet is being abandoned. So much so that the obesity rate is increasing. Unfortunately, climate change is putting crops under stress. While the most innovative technology does not seem to meet expectations. It is feared, on the contrary, that the production losses due to the drought that hit the olive groves in 2022 will not be made up even with this year’s harvest. Support actions for the supply chain and the consumer are therefore needed. Spain, for example, has suspended VAT on the final price of oil. A similar action, in Italy, would be worth 4% of the retail cost. Although economically reduced, it would be an effective input for greater consumption of extra virgin olive oil for consumers, who must think about feeling good when shopping.
* President of the Obesity Study and Research Center (Csro) of the University of Milan
**President of Competere – Policy for sustainable development
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2024-03-28 13:02:34