Longo, who was born and raised in Italy, points out that today, “almost nobody in Italy eats the Mediterranean diet.”
Italy’s youth are facing obesity because of what Longo calls the “poisonous five P’s—pizza, pasta, protein, potatoes, and pane (or bread),” Jason Horowitz writes in the NYT. Longo fears Italians will live long but not healthfully if this pattern continues to dominate the culture.
Research has found both benefits and drawbacks to intermittent fasting, but its continued popularity demonstrates the lengths people will go to in the hope of extending their lives.
A version of this story was originally published on Fortune.com on November 20, 2024.
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