Obesity is now legally recognised as a chronic disease in Italy – a historic advance for public health in Europe

By José Miguel Soriano del Castillo, Catedrático de Nutrición y Bromatología del Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universitat de València

On October 9 2025, Italy took the unprecedented step of approving a law that recognises obesity as a chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease. The law came into effect on October 25.

To date, no other European country has enacted a national law that recognises obesity with such breadth: as a chronic condition with specific guarantees for prevention, treatment, and follow-up included in public healthcare.

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