Is the traditional diet disappearing at the same time as the prevalence of obesity is increasing in Italy? Evaluation of eating habits in a group of Italian obese female patients

Background and aim: The nutrition transition from traditional to Western dietary patterns could account for the dramatic rise in the prevalence of obesity in Italy. We describe the dietary patterns in a group of obese Italian female patients. Material and methods: A retrospective survey was conducted on the records of 113 obese (BMI 40.2±7.0 kg/m2) female inpatients aged 19-60 y (mean 40.5 y). Anthropometric measurements and dietary patterns were obtained from the records. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for the Italian population were used as the reference range. The sample was also divided, according to age, into three groups (19-35y, 36-45y, 46-60y). Statistical analysis was performed by PASW 18.0 software. Results: The table shows the variations, as percentages, of the nutrient intakes over or below the RDAs. The values are expressed as Median, 25th, 75th percentile. In all patients and in all age groups, animal protein intakes averaged 266% over the RDAs in the whole sample, with median variations from 241 to 278% among the age groups. The intake rates of total carbohydrates were minimally higher on average (15-19%) than the RDAs. The simple carbohydrate intake averaged 67-90% over RDAs. The O-6/O-3 fatty acid ratio was about 100% over the RDA, without significant differences among age groups. Nutrients with protective effects, such as Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and &-3 fatty acids, averaged 35-48% and 11-19% below RDAs, respectively. The fiber intake averaged 12-20% below the RDA. No significant difference was found among the age groups for any variation of nutrient intakes versus correspondent RDAs. Conclusions: The excessive consumption of foods with a high animal protein content and &-6 fatty acid with unavoidably unbalanced O-6/O-3 fatty acid ratio could show a tendency to change the traditional Italian diet towards Western eating habits. This habit does not differ among the age groups.