Joined the programme in 2020
Bari is a port city overlooking the Adriatic Sea, as well as the capital of the Puglia region, in Southern Italy. Together with a coalition of 25+ partners, the Bari City Municipality is working to improve the health of its citizens by tackling diabetes.
The incidence of diabetes in Bari rose from 3.3% to 7.7% in just 17 years, and between 70–80% of the city’s healthcare resources are currently spent on managing chronic diseases like diabetes.1
Research shows that the prevalence of diabetes varies a lot in the various districts of the city, particularly between the suburbs and the city center. Likelihood of developing diabetes is linked to socio-economic status and people with low levels of education are twice as likely to develop diabetes.
Key facts and figures
3.3% to 7.7%
In the city of Bari, the incidence of diabetes in the last 17 years has gone from 3.3% to 7.7%1
70-80%
It is estimated that around 70-80% of healthcare resources are currently spent on management of chronic diseases1
Bari has certain natural attributes, such as access to nutritious food, that can be leveraged to promote healthy lifestyles among its residents. To better focus on the natural attributes, Cities for Better Health in Bari formed a strong partnership with local pharmacies to distribute information containing advice on nutrition, glycaemic index, and the role that healthy eating can play in preventing metabolic failure and diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Moving forward, Cities for Better Health in Bari will consider how the pharmacy network can be used to measure certain metabolic goals, such as waist circumference, and evaluate the impact of the distributed information.
Training health city managers
As has been the case in other Italian cities in the Cities for Better Health network, Bari organised a special Health City Manager master course in 2021 with the support of the Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani. The course trained a group of health city managers to support local authorities in their efforts to incorporate health into all political frameworks.
Collecting new data
To better understand the current diabetes situation in the city, Cities for Better Health in Bari will collect new data on obesity and diabetes and the socio-cultural determinants of vulnerability. This information will be analysed and presented in an ATLAS that will be shared with all city partners.
"The sun, running in the city for prevention of diseases, the promotion of Bari Football team in the second division, our traditions are helping us regain the time we have lost in the past two years. Let’s strive to put our city at the top of culture and health: we deserve it!"
— Mayor of Bari, Antonio Decaro
Health City Institute
Bari Municipality
University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’
FOFI Puglia
Italian Municipalities Association (ANCI)
Italian Diabetes Society (SID)
Italian Diabetologist Association (AMD)
Local Patient Association and Citizen Defender
Agenzia Strategica Regionale per la Salute e il Sociale: Home - pugliasalute (sanita.puglia.it)
