Professor Annamaria Colao, an eminent figure in academia and science, heads the Integrated Care Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Andrology and Nutrition at the “Federico II” University Hospital in Naples. In this interview he tells us about the importance of Italy’s cultural vibrancy, the University Federico II’s expansion project in New York, and his efforts to promote the culture of prevention and healthy lifestyles through the Planeterranea initiative.
– Questa intervista fa parte del terzo numero cartaceo de IlNewyorkese: ACQUISTALO QUI
Professor Colao, you are proudly a woman from the South, born and trained in Naples where you currently head the Integrated Care Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Andrology and Nutrition at the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria (AOU) “Federico II”. Because of her work, she is often around the world–what is the reputation of Naples and the Mezzogiorno in international fora?
Naples has always been a hothouse of talent and great minds that in a wide variety of fields have become true international references, and, of course, the Federico II University and the School of Medicine and Surgery, to which I proudly belong and whose insignia, thanks to the great daily work carried out together with my team, we try to carry high all over the world, does not escape this “rule.”
How much does Italian cultural vibrancy affect the world?
I believe that one of the characteristics of Italy is precisely the cultural vibrancy that has allowed us to be a guide and reference in so many things. Italians are respected and appreciated for their inventive skills, their ability to create new paths, their attitude to work and sacrifice not to mention the Italian art and culture that have always been a source of inspiration for so many around the world.
What is Italy’s level of attractiveness in terms of science and culture?
Italy, despite the many atavistic difficulties faced by those doing research, is not only attractive but is a great reference. Just think of how the big international schools and research centers try to grab our researchers, not just the most talented. It is often our compatriots who work on the most important research and set the work plans for important scientific studies. The oft-told over time “Italian genius” is still an unequivocal attractor for those who invest in research and culture.
The Federico II University of Naples will soon open a branch right in the heart of New York City, in Manhattan. A garrison of the historic Neapolitan Academy in the Big Apple is an important step for the South and for Italy.
The Federico II University of Naples is a piece of European, Italian and obviously a pillar of that of our beloved SOUTH. The Federico II has always prepared ruling class for our country, let us not forget, just to cite an important example, how in the very recent past the former Rector and current Mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, was Minister for Research. This year, led admirably by our Magnificent Rector Matteo Lorito, we are celebrating the 800th anniversary of its founding, and it is truly exciting and a source of pride to think of being part of this magnificent and compelling epic with so many friends and colleagues who over the years have shared a common path of research and study. I believe that a garrison of the University of Frederick II in New York is necessary because America and the Big Apple are the cultural capital of the world and an Athenaeum like ours, with its history and tradition, could not fail to be present where the cultural lines that determine the years we will live are often drawn.
The Mezzogiorno is also made up of important traditions, especially on the culinary level it boasts a vast repertoire of gastronomic culture that is not always healthy. What is your advice for maintaining traditions but also proper nutrition?
Traditions are important, and it is essential to always try to preserve and witness them. One should never overindulge in anything, and it seems to me that this is a rule that every culture and philosophy over the millennia has achieved this belief. Maintaining a proper diet is possible without overdoing it and keeping in mind that our body is like a car: never give up breakfast as it is the fuel to start in the morning and then remember that at dinner you should eat some vegetables, some salad, an egg, something that digests very quickly. As an old adage I often like to quote goes, “breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper.”
Cuisine is a very important cultural element, often made of local products that are not always available in the world. How can we adapt our traditional diet when abroad for a long time?
Our traditional diet has unique characteristics that have made it loved all over the world, and since 2010 the Mediterranean Diet-which, by the way, was “theorized” and studied precisely in Campania by Ancel and Margaret Keys-has been recognized as a UNESCO heritage site.
It becomes clear, however, that not all the foods that make it up are present in the diets of different areas of the world. We can, however, work to identify food pyramids capable of detailing, as with our Mediterranean Diet, the foods useful for proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle for different areas of the globe. I and the working group of the Unesco Federico II Chair “Education for Health and Sustainable Development” for which I am responsible are working on this study, we called it Planeterranea because starting from the principles of the Mediterranean Diet it tries to identify local adaptation models valid for each area and culture.
Planeterranea will therefore take Southern Italy all over the world.
He said well. Just by starting from the traditional food culture studied in our Mezzogiorno, we hope to be able to map out the positive common denominators that can ensure a healthy lifestyle for every population. Wellness, being well, sustainability, and a harmonious relationship with nature have been at the heart of the philosophical and scientific thinking of successive cultures in the Mediterranean for millennia.
What will be your next goal?
The Planeterranea challenge is definitely one of the goals in the near future, but in general I will continue to strive to spread the culture of prevention of healthy lifestyles, especially among the younger generations thanks to the incessant work we have been conducting for years now with the Unesco Federico II Chair and the whole network we have built. If I can define one goal over all beyond prevention, it is to continue to build spaces and open avenues for the affirmation of the younger generation.
The article Annamaria Colao: Southern excellence and the future of health care comes from TheNewyorker.
