EUROPEAN UNION COMMISSION AND PARLIAMENT SAY YES TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET AS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE

The European Commission, together with the Europarliament have joined the efforts to get the Mediterranean diet recognized as a UNESCO world patrimony. In Strasbourg, the Commissioner for Social Affairs, Vladimir Spidla, announced that, “Brussels will make active efforts with UNESCO, although it does not have direct competencies”. A decision on the initiative that was put together by Italy, Spain, Greece, and Morocco, is expected in September.

“It is an important result” – commented European deputy, Enzo Lavarra (Pd). Lavarra noted that the European Union is already developing a significant role in the safeguarding and promotion of Italian and Mediterranean agricultural production, but that with this announcement it is taking a decided step ahead. “It will also be easier” – added Lavarra – “to fight against appropriation of concepts by outside countries”. According to recent studies published in the British Medical Journal, analyzed by the team of Francesco Sofi, nutritionist at the University of Florence, the Mediterranean diet reduces the incidence of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s by 13%, cardiovascular problems by 9%, and cancer by 6%. Bread, pasta, fruit, vegetables, olive oil and the glass of wine that is traditionally consumed at Italian dinner tables has allowed Italians to conquer the record for longevity with an average lifespan of 78.6 years for men and 84.1 years for women, far superior to the European average.
But the future is worrisome. One third of Italian children are overweight or obese precisely because of the effect of the progressive abandonment of the principles of the Mediterranean diet in favor of the consumption of processed foods that are much higher in fats and sugars.
A recent FAO study revealed that, over the past 45 years, the Mediterranean diet based in fresh fruit and vegetables has been abandoned and, from 1962 to 2002, in the 15 European countries that were examined, the caloric intake has increased by about 20%, from 2960 kcal to 3340 kcal. And in Greece, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Malta and Italy, the daily caloric intake has increased by 30%.

With the recognition from UNESCO, whose decision is expected in September, an important impulse to recuperate healthy eating habits would be given. A goal that – noted Italian agricultural organization Coldiretti – has an extraordinary value for Italy, which is a symbolic country for this type of cooking and where the food culture based on the principles of the Mediterranean diet has the most profound roots. The country holds the top position for fruit, vegetable, wine and pasta production as well as a place of honor together with Spain for European olive oil production.