Staying Fit in Italy

There is a common stereotype that Italians are thin and in shape. Statistically, this stereotype might prove true. Italy is one of the healthiest nations in the world, with a low obesity rate of 10.4%, compared to an alarming rate of 35.7% in the United States (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2014).

Since there appear to be few individuals struggling with their weight in Italy, one would expect to see large fitness centers or streets filled with people running, biking, and walking. After living in Italy for more than a month, this is clearly not the case. In a city in the United States, there are flashy gyms on every street offering the latest fitness trends, from CrossFit to Surfset, a new activity involving indoor surfing (Fontana, 2015). In Italy, the gyms tend to be small, with outdated equipment, and little air-conditioning (“5 Ways to Stay Fit in Florence – FlorenceForFun,” 2012). 

In addition to the quality of the facilities, membership cost is an issue in Florence. A decent gym with a small selection of classes will cost at least $85 per month. It may even be difficult for one to get their money’s worth at one of these gyms with most closing by 8 PM on weekdays and by 1 PM on weekends (Sessa, 2014). In New York City or Chicago, there are quality, 24-hour gyms with rates less than $30 a month (Freund, 2016; Gurfein, 2015).

With average facilities and high monthly rates, it is no wonder Italians are not flocking to the gym. How then do Italians manage to stay so healthy and fit? A trip up to the northern region of Italy one weekend revealed that Italians there have no problem finding ways to be active in the Alps mountain range. Hiking, biking, and skiing are a large part of their culture. In Florence, however, streets are crowded and public parks are scarce. One of the areas available for exercise is the Cascine Park along the Arno river (pictured left). My first time arriving to the park I expected to see numerous joggers or groups practicing yoga, like one would find in Central Park of New York City. Instead, the area was deserted, and most of the park-goers seemed to be tourists strolling along and snapping pictures.

So where are Florentines exercising to keep their trim figures? It turns out, most are not exercising at all. A study revealed that 60% of Italians never exercise, and only eight other countries reported lower exercise rates (European Commission, 2014). Some try to attribute Italy’s lack of overweight issues to the idea that Italians are doing a lot of walking in the cities. In fact, this same study discovered 39% of Italians hardly ever walk more than ten minutes a day (European Commission, 2014).

All of this evidence confirms what experts have been saying about fitness and obesity for years: diet and moderation contribute far more to weight loss than an increase in exercise (Carroll, 2015). Italy proves that expensive gym memberships and trendy fitness classes may not be the key to weight loss. Fresh ingredients and moderation may be all the United States needs to combat rising obesity rates. 

This post was written by Julia Stone. She is a sophomore studying Animal Science and plans to study Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University after she graduates.

5 Ways to Stay Fit in Florence – FlorenceForFun. (2012, August 22). Retrieved July 19, 2017, from https://blog.florenceforfun.com/2012/08/22/5-ways-to-stay-fit-in-florence/

Carroll, A. E. (2015, June 15). To Lose Weight, Eating Less Is Far More Important Than Exercising More. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/upshot/to-lose-weight-eating-less-is-far-more-important-than-exercising-more.html

European Commission. (2014). Sport and Physical Activity (No. 412). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/archives/ebs/ebs_412_en.pdf

Fontana, D. (2015, June 10). 5 Hottest Summer Fitness Trends - Diet + Exercise - Body The Beauty Authority - NewBeauty. Retrieved July 19, 2017, from https://www.newbeauty.com/slideshow/1753-hottest-summer-fitness-trends/

Freund, S. (2016, June 15). Best Chicago gyms for getting in shape. Retrieved July 19, 2017, from https://www.timeout.com/chicago/sports/the-best-gyms-in-chicago

Gurfein, L. (2015, January 13). How Much You’ll Pay at New York City’s Chain Gyms Right Now - Racked NY. Retrieved July 19, 2017, from https://ny.racked.com/2015/1/13/7561179/nyc-chain-gyms-cost

Sessa, A. (2014, September 30). Does Anyone Actually Work Out in Italy? Retrieved July 19, 2017, from https://www.thecut.com/2014/09/does-anyone-work-out-in-italy.html

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2014). Obesity Update. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/health/Obesity-Update-2014.pdf