On May 12, 2026, at the Isabella D’Este Caracciolo Institute in Naples, the first school event of the Comunità S.A.N.E. project — Health, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Education — took place. The initiative is promoted by Fondazione Evangelica Betania, Fondazione Valter Longo and Form.it as part of a program funded by the Campania Region, with the special collaboration of SSC Napoli.
Students and teachers took part in a day focused on education and awareness around healthy eating, physical activity, mental and physical wellbeing, and prevention. The school principal, Giovanna Scala, welcomed the initiative and highlighted the importance of creating synergies between schools, healthcare, sports and local communities to guide young people toward healthier lifestyles.
At the heart of the morning was the “Food is Good” workshop: around one hour of interactive sessions, discussions and educational activities designed to actively engage students.
The event focused on food awareness, nutrition, physical activity and stress management. The nutritionists from Fondazione Valter Longo, led by Scientific Director Romina Inés Cervigni and Educational Programs Director Cristina Villa, explored students’ eating habits, opinions about food and the importance of prevention from adolescence onward, also through playful activities.
The topic of food awareness was also explored by Antonio Salzano, psychologist and head of the Clinical Psychology Service at Evangelico Betania Hospital, together with colleagues Maria Betteghella, psychologist and psychotherapist, and Valeria Fiorini, physician and psychotherapist in training. Their contribution encouraged students to reflect on the connection between food and emotions.
There was also strong participation during the talks led by the technical and medical staff of SSC Napoli — Raffaele Canonico, Gennaro De Luca and Marco Rufolo — who shared their daily experiences from the world of professional sports, helping bring the topic of prevention closer to the everyday lives of young people.
The Naples event is only the first step. Over the next three years, Comunità S.A.N.E. will involve around 17,000 students across Campania through interactive workshops, free nutritional consultations, family open days and awareness activities focused on the importance of physical activity. Twenty-five schools across the provinces of Naples, Salerno, Caserta, Avellino and Benevento will take part in the project.
The initiative also includes a scientific research component: a randomized clinical study involving 330 adolescents aged 14 to 18 from Campania affected by overweight and obesity. The study will test nutritional protocols developed through the research of Professor Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California.
In a region with some of the highest childhood obesity rates in Europe, Comunità S.A.N.E. proposes an innovative model of prevention and nutrition education, with the goal of transforming Campania into a leading laboratory for the health of future generations.