For the first time, the medical and sporting worlds have organised the ‘Campionato della Salute’ (Health League) for teenagers and young adults. Through games, questions and insights, teens can enrich their education on healthy lifestyles online. The initiative is part of the InFormaTeen project from FOCE (Federazione degli Oncologi, Cardiologi e Ematologi / Federation of Cancer, Cardiology and Haematology), CONI (Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano / Italian National Olympic Committee), the FIGC, and Poste Italiane, with support from the Minister for Sport and Youth.

The project was presented today in Rome in the CONI Board Room and aims to create a new culture of prevention amongst the general population, starting with adolescents. 15% of teenagers in Italy smoke regularly, whilst 30% do not participate in sport or exercise and 15% of teenagers under 17 consume alcohol. Habits that often pass over to adulthood. The new campaign establishes a web portal (www.informateen.it - in Italian) full of useful information, as well as the most important section aimed at gaming. Informative content will also be produced and posted to the various channels of the FIGC and Youth and Schools Sector which will collaborate to host webinars and in-person events covering the topics of the campaign. Ample social media activities are expected to commence, particularly via the new TikTok page, where messages about healthy lifestyles will be posted. Players, coaches and other sportspeople will also make an appearance on the official TikTok to share their experiences. Contributions from two big coaches have also been arranged, Massimiliano Allegri and Claudio Ranieri, as well as the Swimming World Champion, Simona Quadarella.

Professor Francesco Cognetti, president of FOCE, affirmed: “We intend to promote, in an engaging and interactive way, healthy lifestyles and mental health awareness. Smoking, drinking, little physical activity, and being overweight are all factors that increase rates of morbidity, disability and death. For example, cancer cases are on the rise but, and we cannot forget this, up to 40% of cases can be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle. Blood cancers affect over 35,000 people every year and can be linked to obesity and tobacco consumption”.

CONI president Giovanni Malagò said: “We have decided to work with the world of medicine once again. This decision was also made to encourage our country to participate in sports, something that should always be seen as part of a healthy lifestyle. Wellbeing is supported by physical activity which should be done regularly and must begin in childhood or adolescence. The value of sport must not be forgotten, and for all these good reasons, it should provide a greater incentive”.

President of the FIGC Gabriele Gravina emphasised: “As representatives of the most popular sport in Italy, we are happy to be able to contribute to promoting this campaign. Wellbeing is even more important at a young age and must be a priority for those in the world of sport”.

Poste Italiane CEO Matteo Del Fante commented: “This is a project with great social and educational value with the main aim of reaching teenagers. New collaborations between worlds that could seem separate such as medicine, sport and business will be created and maintained. We are proud to support such an important and innovative national initiative”.

The first phase of the InFormaTeen campaign will be followed up by a more in depth scientific phase. Leaders from the FIGC, CONI and certain Italian science companies will take part in the event, as well as institutional figures such as the Minister for Health and the Minister for Sport and Youth who have already supported the campaign.