Despite getting older, 70,1% of the population say they feel very good about their health.
Italy is increasingly an aging country, but one that is enjoying its health and well-being, according to the 2016 Yearbook of the Italian Institute of Statistics (Istat) released on Thursday (29). The document uses the most recent data in each category, which means that some information is from 2015 and others from 2016.
According to data recorded until December 31, 2015, there were 161,4 people over the age of 65 for every 100 young people, a considerable increase, since in the previous year, 2014, this ratio was 100 for every 157,7. As a result, Italians are at the top of the European Union's ranking, alongside Germany, in the population aging process.
By regions, Liguria has the largest number of elderly people (246,5 for every 100 young people) and Campania is the “most youthful” (117,3 for every 100). However, in both cases, the value is higher than the previous year.
Still on this issue, the number of births continues to fall: there were 485.780 babies now considering data so far in 2016. The difference between births and deaths once again showed a higher rate for the latter, with a “gap” of 161.791.
Furthermore, for the first time, Italy recorded a drop in the life expectancy of its population: women fell from 85 to 84,7 years on average and men from 80,3 to 80,1 years.
However, despite aging at a rapid pace, 70,1% of the Italian population say they feel very good about their health, especially in the northern region of the country – even though 39,1% revealed they have a chronic illness.
This perception is more positive among men (73,9%) than women (66,4%) and the regions of Bolzano (84,5%), Trento (78,5%) and Emilia-Romagna (73,5 .XNUMX%) has the best rates.
Those who live in Calabria (62,1%) and Sardinia (63%) consider their health less positively.
The most interesting thing is that, at the same time that they consider their health to be better, more Italians have started to smoke, reversing the decline of recent years. According to Istat, one in three young people between 25 and 34 smoke, especially among men. The Yearbook revealed that they, however, are smoking less and less in this age group: only 15,1% of them smoke compared to 24,8% of them.
If health is good, however, Italians' biggest concerns fall on crime. This is because there was an increase in the perception of insecurity among families – four in 10 say they are insecure – even though the document shows a 2,7% drop in the number of crimes committed in the country.
Work, income and study
“Adding the unemployed to the potential workforce, there are 6,5 million people who would like to work”, reports Istat, revealing small signs of improvement in the Italian economy. In total, even with data not yet finalized for 2016, there was an increase of 186 thousand jobs.
Considering data from 2015, there was a drop in the number of families who own the house where they live – from 81,5% in 2014 to 81% in 2015 – and who have their residence mortgaged (from 19,3% to 17,7 %).
Istat also reported that 18% of families pay rent and that, on average, the expense is 430,56 euros – but this value rises to an average of 506,55 euros in the northwest region and drops to 260,77 euros on the islands.
Considering the year 2016, “families continue to have difficulty accessing many public utility services, in particular, emergency care units (55,5%)”, followed by security forces (36,4%) , communal offices (34,1%), supermarkets (28,5%) and postal offices (25,6%).
In matters involving studies, the number of people enrolled in the school system fell for the fifth consecutive year, but the level of study of Italians increased. In the 2014/2015 school year, there was a drop of 34.426 in the number of students compared to 2013/2014, especially in early childhood education (-26.845).
This decrease is directly linked to the country's population decline, which was not sufficiently compensated by the arrival of foreign students, which increased by 9,2% (814.208 students). And it is the schools in the north and center of the country that most welcome foreigners.
The level of education of the Italian population has been on a constant rise over recent years. In 2015, three out of every 10 people obtained a higher education qualification or diploma (35,6%), a stable number compared to 2014, while the percentage of those who have a higher education degree increased from 12,7% to 13,1%. university degree.
However, a negative fact regarding education is that the number of people seeking to continue their studies as soon as they finish a course at University has fallen. And the Yearbook confirmed that, among those who decide to continue improving, women are the ones who most seek these specializations: there are 55 women out of every 100 students.
Lunch time
The Istat Yearbook showed that Italians are still a long way from using the fast-food model to eat.
Lunch in 2016 is still considered the most important meal of the day by 66,6% of the population and is consumed at home (72,7%).
Residents of the south of the country and on the islands consume more meals at home (82,8% and 83,1%, respectively) and less in the northwest region (64,3%).
The data also shows that 81,7% of the population has the habit of having a “proper” breakfast, that is, not just coffee or tea, but consuming foods full of nutrients, such as milk. and derivatives, breads and cookies.
Politics
While Italians like to talk about politics, very few participate in party life or attend initiatives such as rallies or marches.
Taking into account the population over 14 years old, “only 4,3% participated in marches and only 0,8% carried out free activity for a party”. Still on the political issue, 1,5% of the population stated that they contributed financially to an acronym and 3,6% participated in at least one rally.
“A much broader section of the population participates indirectly. 65,4% of people aged 14 or over talk about politics”, with 36,7% talking “at least once a week” and 28,7% “once a month”.
Even higher is the percentage of Italians who are informed about the current political situation: 74,1% said they follow the topic frequently.
Transport
Home to some of the most famous brands in the automobile sector, Italians continue to opt for cars as their main means of transportation.
According to Istat, 68,9% use a private vehicle to go to work and 37,3% of students use their car as drivers or passengers. Only 11% use chartered buses to go to school or college and 13,1% take the train or bus.
Motorbikes and bicycles are in the last place in Italians' options: only 3,6% use the first ones and 3,7% use bikes to get around.
Tourism and Travel
Italians made 58 million trips and 340,5 million “overnights” in hotels inside and outside the territory in 2015, revealed the Yearbook. In relation to 2014 data, the number remained stable – but the drop compared to 2011 is notable: that year, there were 93 million trips for 493 million overnight stays.
During 2015, vacation trips – which are seven times higher than those for work – lasted four days or more and were concentrated in the summer period (60%). Short trips, which total 24,3 million, increased for the first time since 2009.
The hotel and accommodation sector in Italy grew by 4,4% in 2015, with an incidence of tourists from abroad higher than the European average.
By ANSA Agency
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