(ANSA) - Italian children are getting too fat, according to a study released Sunday. More than a third of Italian children around the age of ten were much fatter than they should be, said the study commissioned by agricultural organisation Coldiretti.
"Some 36% of ten-year-olds are now considered overweight or obese, the highest rate in Europe," Coldiretti said.
The organisation is launching a campaign to educate kids on how to eat properly. One Italian child in three skips breakfast, leading to "compulsive" snacking throughout the day, the association of farmers said.
The Coldiretti campaign, launched ahead of Italy's Obesity Day on Monday, aims to show kids the importance of a balanced diet including fresh fruit and vegetables. Some 100,000 elementary and middle school children are taking part in food education courses at selected farms and 5,000 "taste workshops" across the country, it said. Compulsive eating in all age groups has risen by 30% since the last time it was measured in 2000, the study said.
A quarter of Italy's 15 to 17-year-olds were affected by the eating disorder, it said.
