THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET: THE STUDY OF THE MODELS OF RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR OF FLORENCE TEENAGERS TO THEIR HEALTH
The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest diets. In Italy the progressive abandonment of this diet coincides with the increase in overweight and obesity. The authors through the KIDMED Index have identified a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet in 16 % of the students in a high school. The low adhesion is significantly related to lack of physical activity, low academic performance, low cultural and social level of their families. It follows, therefore, the need for cultural interventions to understand that the traditional Mediterranean diet should not be abandoned in favor of other nutritional patterns and even the need to promote the spread of eating habits in line with this diet if we want to maintain the high levels of health and longevity that distinguish the Italian population. The school and the family must support children in the development of responsible and proactive behavior in the field of nutrition.