EUROPE
Rome
Joined the programme in 2016
After joining Cities for Better Health, Rome mapped the city’s prevalence of diabetes and obesity. The insights have resulted in the implementation of a number of good practices.
Rome, Italy
The challenge in Rome
Since 1945, Rome has experienced significant demographic development and the population has more than doubled.1 Now the largest city in Italy, Rome is challenged by motor vehicle congestion and pollution, combined with increasing rates of obesity (44.5% of adults in Rome are overweight or living with obesity2), lack of physical exercise and poor diet – all risks underlying the urban diabetes challenge. Additionally, the population is also aging, adding to the pressure on the health care system.
Key facts and figures
8.3%
of adults in Rome were living with diabetes in 20171
40%
of Rome residents consider themselves physically inactive3
44.5%
of adults in Rome are overweight or living with obesity2
About the programme
Cities for Better Health in Rome conducted a three-year mapping project, examining the impact of urbanisation on type 2 diabetes in the metropolitan area of Italy's largest city. The data gathered during this process was used to develop the Rome Cities for Better Health Atlas, which provides information about the prevalence of diabetes and contains information relating to health-promoting policies, urban planning and community health.
Walking through Rome
The data from the mapping project revealed that 40% of Rome residents consider themselves physically inactive3. To address this, the city collaborated with its partners to create 74 walking routes that cover approximately 460km in Rome's metropolitan area.
The walking routes, which roughly 100,000 people use, allow residents to engage in accessible physical activity for free. Special measures have been taken to ensure that people living with diabetes are encouraged to make use of these walking routes. Several other cities in Italy have already been inspired to replicate this simple but effective intervention. Designed by Olympic gold medallist Maurizio Damilano, the routes cover urban, tourist, environmental and athletic itineraries. The information is accessible via a smartphone application that allows users to track how far they have walked and interacted with other users.
Educating city managers for better health
Changing the health of urban communities requires health at the centre of policy decision-making. A credible route to acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge to create health-centred policies was missing in Rome, leading Cities for Better Health to work with the Health City Institute to create the Health City Manager curriculum.
Offered at Roma Sapienza University, the course provides students with the competencies and knowledge to manage city health effectively. The graduates of this course can work with authorities responsible for public health to ensure that health promotion and disease prevention are considered when policies are made.
"Within the European Cities for Better Health programme, Rome was the first city to present a passport with urban and tourist itineraries to visit specific areas by walking through the city. Walking is healthy, and this administration is proud of contributing to making Rome the first walkable city by developing 74 itineraries which cover a total of 460km of wellbeing by encouraging exercise and healthy activities."
— Angelo Diario, Chair of Rome City Council's Committee for Sports, Wellness, and Quality of Life
Partners
C14+
Censis Foundation
Centre for Outcomes Research and Clinical Epidemiology
Cittadinanzattiva
CONI
Diabete Italia
FederDiabete Lazio
FIDAL
Fitwalking Association
Fondazione SportCity
Health City Institute
IBDO Foundation
Institute for Competitiveness
IO-Net
Italian Association of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition (ADI)
Italian Diabetes Society (SID)
Italian Diabetologist Association (AMD)
Italian Endos Society (SIE)
Italian Municipalities Association (ANCI)
Italian Obesity Association (SIO)
Italian Society of GPs (SIMG)
Italian Society of Paediatric Endos (SIEDP)
Ministry for Youth Policies
National Institute for Health
National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)
Parliamentary Intergroup on QoL in Cities
Rome Capital City
University of Roma Foro Italico
University of Roma La Sapienza
University of Roma Tor Vergata
References
1. Vaccaro K, Crialesi R, Nicolucci A, Corsaro L, Roma Cities for Better Health. 2017.
2. Italian Institute for Statistics (ISTAT). Data from: Body mass index - regions and type of municipality. 2021.
3. Italian Institute for Statistics (ISTAT). Data from: National Institute of Statistics, Italy [Istituto Nazionale di Statistica]. 2015. Rome, Italy.
