Italiano - Home page

ISS
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
EpiCentro - Epidemiology for public health
Epidemiology for public health - ISS

What is OKkio alla SALUTE?

ITOSSOKkio alla SALUTE is a surveillance system for overweight, obesity and related risk factors in primary schoolchildren (6-10 years of age). It is included in the list of Italy’s national surveillance systems and registries identified by the Prime Ministerial Decree of 3 March 2017. The surveillance aims to describe variations (by area and over time) in children’s weight status, eating habits and physical activity levels, and in school activities promoting healthy eating and physical exercise, with a view to guiding useful and effective initiatives aimed at improving the health of primary schoolchildren.

 

OKkio alla SALUTE was established in 2007, as part of the “Survey system for risk behaviours in 6-17 year-olds”, a project promoted and funded by the Ministry of Health/National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. It is currently coordinated by the National Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), in collaboration with the Regions, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, University and Research.

 

OKkio alla SALUTE is linked to the European programme “Gaining health” and Italy’s national and regional Prevention Plans, and is part of the “Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI)”, established by the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization.

 

The following areas are investigated: weight status, eating habits, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, maternal perception of the child’s body weight and behaviours, school activities and facilities in relation to the OKkio alla SALUTE surveillance, out-of-school environment.

 

Data collection involves:

  • Recording of child anthropometric data (weight and height) by trained staff of Local Health Units
  • Administering a simple questionnaire to children so as to collect information on their eating habits, physical activity levels and sedentary behaviours
  • Completion by parents of a short questionnaire to collect information on their child’s eating habits, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, as well as socio-demographic characteristics
  • Completion by school headmasters/principals of a questionnaire to collect information on the school environment.

To date, six surveys have been conducted: 2008-09, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019.

 

Contacts

Angela Spinelli

angela.spinelli@iss.it

 

Paola Nardone

paola.nardone@iss.it

 

Publication date: 1 August 2020