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Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 21, No. 6, 523-529 (2002)
Published by the American College of Nutrition

Nutritional Characteristics of a Rural Southern Italy Population: The Ventimiglia di Sicilia Project

Carlo M. Barbagallo, MD, Giovanni Cavera, MD, Michelangelo Sapienza, MD, Davide Noto, MD, Angelo B. Cefalù, MD, Francesco Polizzi, MD, Francesco Onorato, MD, GiovanBattista Rini, MD, Gaetana Di Fede, MD, Michele Pagano, MD, Giuseppe Montalto, MD, Manfredi Rizzo, MD, GianCarlo Descovich, MD, Alberto Notarbartolo, MD and Maurizio R. Averna, MD

Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.M.B., G.C., D.N., A.B.C., F.P., F.O., G.B.R., G.M., M.R., A.N., M.R.A.)
Department of Internal Medicine (G.D.F.)
University of Palermo, "Villa Sofia" Hospital (M.S., M.P.)
Palermo, Department of Geriatrics, University of Bologna, Bologna (G.C.D.*), ITALY

Address reprint requests to: Dr. Carlo M Barbagallo, Istituto di Medicina Interna e Geriatria, Policlinico "Paolo Giaccone," Via del Vespro 141, I-90127 Palermo, ITALY. E-mail: carlob{at}unipa.it

Objective: Knowledge of alimentary habits among populations permits a better definition of appropriate public health interventions. We designed the epidemiological project "Ventimiglia di Sicilia" to characterize the risk profile in a rural village with low total cholesterol levels and low early cardiovascular mortality but with a large prevalence of overweight and obesity, which previously have been significantly associated with total mortality.

Methods: 488 individuals of age 20 to 69 years were included in the dietary survey conducted by a seven-day food record.

Results: Alimentary habits were characterized by high consumption of total and complex carbohydrates (respectively 52.5 ± 7.6% and 46.6 ± 8.2% of daily energy) and by a low cholesterol intake (92.5 ± 35.0 mg/1000 kcal/day). Fat intake was 34.7 ± 7.7% of daily energy due to a higher consumption of monounsaturated fats in respect to saturated fats (respectively 20.5 ± 5.1% and 10.2 ± 2.9% of daily energy). In particular, in this population there was a large consumption of bread, pasta, fresh vegetables, olive oil and fruits. We also observed an excess of total calories (about 2900 kcal/day in men and 2100 kcal/day in women) not balanced by a high degree of physical activity levels. Furthermore we found a significant higher total and saturated fat consumption in the youngest individuals and in people with higher educational levels.

Conclusions: Dietary habits of Ventimiglia di Sicilia still follow the nutritional characteristics typical of the Mediterranean diet. The high total calorie intake indicates a quantitative more than qualitative problem, which may account the large prevalence of overweight and obesity and may represent a public health issue that needs to be corrected in such a rural population.

Key words: cardiovascular risk, Mediterranean diet, nutritional habits, rural populations, Southern Italy






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Copyright © 2002 by the American College of Nutrition.