FOOD EDUCATION: A NECESSITY, NOT A LUXURY. FROM MICHELLE OBAMA IN AMERICA TO “LE FIGARO” IN FRANCE, EVERYONE IS FIGHTING OBESITY, STARTING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. ACCORDING TO A STUDY BY “ALLIANZ”, KIDS WILL LIVE LONGER AND BE SMARTER BUT FATTER, TOO

Educating new generations on nutrition is becoming more and more a necessity and not just an “extra” subject to be taught only “if there are enough resources”, treating it like an elective. Many sources (including WineNews) have been arguing in favor of this issue for some time, and now the Research Center of Allianz Insurance confirms its necessity: children born from 2011 onwards, will live longer and be better educated than their parents, but will also be fatter. According to the World Health Organization, in 2056, when children born today will be 45 years old, 45% will be overweight because of less physical activity and bad eating habits. Of course, quick action may turn the situation around, but we can no longer procrastinate on the introduction of nutritional education in all schools. In the United States Michelle Obama has made the battle famous and even in France they are learning the importance of healthy eating habits: in the “kingdom” of haute cuisine and “foie gras” the leading Parisian newspaper “Le Figaro” dedicated the first and second pages to this topic on December 31, 2010, just a few hours before the traditional New Year’s Eve banquets. We hope that Italy will take rapid and effective action, too.