A national meeting hosted at the Circolo del Tennis highlights the role of sport and the research carried out at the University of Rome Foro Italico in tackling sedentary behaviour and chronic diseases.
On 14 November, on the occasion of World Diabetes Day, the Circolo del Tennis at the Foro Italico hosted an important conference dedicated to the role of sport in the prevention and management of diabetes, a silent pandemic that today affects around 700 million people worldwide and is expected, according to international estimates, to grow further and involve one in eight adults by 2045. The event, promoted by the Federation of Italian Scientific Societies of Diabetology (FeSDI), Sport e Salute and the Parliamentary Intergroup on Obesity, Diabetes and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, brought together institutions, academia, the scientific community and representatives of the sports sector for an open and well-attended discussion on physical activity, lifestyle habits and the broader societal challenges associated with diabetes.
The Foro Italico, an emblematic venue for Italian sport and home to our University, offered an ideal setting to reaffirm the value of physical activity not only as a tool for prevention and care, but also as a driver of inclusion, socialisation and personal growth. It is precisely this virtuous link between sport and health that shaped the entire day, marked by high-level contributions and rich debates that highlighted both achievements and the critical issues that still need to be addressed.
Among the speakers in the institutional opening session were the Rector of the University of Rome Foro Italico, prof. Massimo Sacchetti, prof. Attilio Parisi, President of the Osservatorio permanente sullo Sport, and Prof. Francesca Romana Lenzi, faculty member of our University and Editor-in-Chief of SportCity Journal. Their contributions emphasised the central role of the University in generating scientific knowledge and promoting healthy lifestyles.
The Rector stressed that education to movement must be regarded as an essential component of training, particularly in a context where sedentariness—especially among younger generations—represents an increasingly alarming risk factor.
Professor Parisi emphasized the importance of identifying the role of physical activity for vulnerable groups and special populations. Professor Lenzi, during the roundtable dedicated to sport and sedentary lifestyles, further explored the importance of establishing a culture of physical activity: “The achievement of recognizing sport as a health right,” Professor Lenzi said, “can have a concrete impact only if accompanied by a commitment to recognizing sport as a social right,” highlighting the importance of integrated policies that facilitate access to sport for all segments of the population.
Prof. Lenzi, during the roundtable dedicated to sport and sedentary behaviour, explored the mechanisms through which physical activity influences not only metabolic health but also psychological well-being and overall quality of life, underscoring the importance of integrated policies that promote access to sport for people of all ages.
The scientific contribution of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory of the University of Rome Foro Italico was also highlighted with pride. For years, the laboratory has carried out advanced research on the relationship between physical exercise, metabolism and diabetes, as well as studies within European projects dedicated to examining the impact of social determinants on adherence to physical exercise protocols (Happy Bones). Its research lines focus on the physiological mechanisms of human adaptation to exercise—with particular attention to metabolic and neuromuscular responses—and include investigations on the impact of specific exercise protocols on metabolic control in people with diabetes. In this way, our University reaffirms its commitment not only to education but also to scientific research that promotes health through movement.
A much-anticipated contribution also came from Marco Mezzaroma, President of Sport e Salute, who, in a video message, drew attention to the social and technological changes contributing to a worrying increase in sedentariness, particularly “digital sedentariness”: children and adolescents spend an increasing number of hours in front of screens, drastically reducing daily physical activity. “Physical activity is not aimed solely at achieving victory,” Mezzaroma recalled, “but at fostering well-being. It is a natural, accessible form of therapy that improves quality of life and strengthens the sense of community.” His remarks resonated strongly in light of the Istat data presented during the event: in 2024, 21.5 million Italians practised sport, representing 37.5% of the population aged three and over. While the figures show signs of improvement—particularly regarding the reduction of the gender gap—they also reveal substantial territorial and cultural disparities.
The Istat report showed that sports participation is highest in large cities, reaching 42.7%, and in the northern regions, while it decreases significantly in smaller towns and in southern Italy, where nearly one in two people is sedentary. Age is also a determining factor: although nearly three out of four young people aged 11 to 14 practise sport, participation declines sharply after the age of 24. Participation among older adults, however, is increasing—a positive trend that reflects growing awareness of the importance of active ageing. Educational attainment remains a major determinant of sports participation and continues to play a significant role in shaping lifestyle choices.
The conference allowed for an in-depth reflection on these findings, highlighting the urgency of addressing the causes of sedentariness not only through information campaigns but also through structural interventions that make daily movement easier, safer and more natural. This challenge concerns institutions, schools, sports organisations, public health systems and—crucially—universities, which are called upon to train professionals capable of promoting a culture of movement grounded in scientific evidence and centred on the individual.
“Diabetes has serious repercussions on the quality of life of those who live with it and their families, as well as a significant impact on the country’s economy, with direct and indirect costs linked to the loss of productivity,” stated MP Roberto Pella, President of the Parliamentary Intergroup on Obesity, Diabetes and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Vice-President of ANCI. “As a Parliamentary Intergroup, we are strongly committed—alongside legislative initiatives—to placing this issue at the heart of the political agenda through a holistic and multisectoral approach, aimed at guaranteeing people with diabetes the same rights as healthy individuals by building an alliance among all stakeholders and promoting healthy lifestyles, physical activity and prevention at every level of governance.”
Special attention was also devoted to the social impact of diabetes and the barriers that still hinder the full inclusion of people living with the condition. During the roundtable “Together for a Winning Team”, FeSDI ambassadors Anna Arnaudo and Giulio Gaetani—two high-level athletes—shared their personal experiences as athletes with diabetes. Their testimonies highlighted not only the empowering role of sport but also the persistence of an outdated Royal Decree from 1932, which prevents athletes with diabetes from joining military sports groups, thereby limiting their ability to pursue sport as a profession. This discriminatory norm is no longer acceptable in light of modern scientific knowledge and medical advances, which allow effective management of the condition and enable individuals to lead fully active lives.
The day concluded with a strong call for unity and collective responsibility. Tackling diabetes requires coordinated action at multiple levels: promoting health education from early childhood, reducing territorial and social inequalities, sustaining scientific research, and valuing sport as a shared asset and a right for all. World Diabetes Day is not merely a symbolic date; it is an opportunity to take stock of ongoing strategies and to renew an alliance that involves institutions, universities, the scientific community, patient associations, sports organisations and citizens. The University of Rome Foro Italico, with its educational and scientific mission entirely devoted to sport and human movement, will continue to play an active role in this commitment, fostering knowledge, awareness and initiatives that place health and well-being at the centre of social development.
Istat Data on Sports Participation in Italy
There are 21.5 million people in Italy who practised sport in 2024, accounting for 37.5% of the population aged 3 and over. Among them, 28.7% practise sport regularly, while 8.7% do so occasionally. A total of 43.4% of men practise sport compared with 31.8% of women, with a gender gap that stood at nearly 17 percentage points in 1995 and has narrowed to 11.6 points in 2024.
With regard to age, the highest rate of sports participation is found among 11–14-year-olds: 75.6% practise sport (66.7% regularly). Participation remains high up to age 24, after which it progressively declines. Sports participation is increasing among older adults: 23.3% of people aged 65–74 are active (compared with 5.3% in 1995), while among those aged 75 and over the figure reaches 8.1% (1.4% in 1995).
In terms of territory, participation is highest in the North-East (43.9%), followed by the North-West (41.7%) and Central Italy (41.5%), while the South and Islands lag behind (27.9%). Metropolitan areas are more active (42.7%), whereas small towns show lower participation rates (29.7%). Education level is a significant factor: only 6.1% of people with primary school education and 17.3% of those with lower secondary education practise sport, compared with 55% of university graduates.
Sociocultural differences influence sports participation across all age groups. As people age, participation tends to decrease for everyone, but inequalities persist. The main motivations for practising sport include the desire to stay fit (61.5%), passion or personal enjoyment (49.8%), leisure (42.6%) and stress reduction (27.5%).
“In Italy, 62.5% of the population do not practise sport,” explains Dr Emanuela Bologna of Istat. “Within this group, almost one-third (29.7%) regularly engage in some form of physical activity — especially women, children up to 5 years old and people over 64 — while 32.8% are completely sedentary. Furthermore, almost 4 out of 10 have never practised sport in their life (37.1%), with higher rates among women than men (44.7% vs 29.1%). In the South, nearly one person in two is sedentary, and fewer than one in four engage in physical activity. The highest levels of sedentariness are recorded in small municipalities with up to 2,000 inhabitants (almost 4 in 10 people). The main reasons given for not practising sport in our country are lack of time (35.1%), lack of interest (31.2%), age (21.3%), health/disability (15.3%), tiredness/laziness (12.3%) and economic reasons (7.6%).”
written by Paola Claudia Scioli
images by Francesca Romana Lenzi
