I was born on 27 July 1933. I directed the Gastroenterology Research Unit, a third level referral center in the department of Pediatrics of University of Florence (Meyer hospital) for 40 years. I made the first diagnoses of celiac disease in Tuscany. Non-celiac subjects (children and adults with functional bowel disease or overweight came to the Unit for this diagnosis. I was the founder and president of the non profit (ONLUS) association Nutrizione e Prevenzione. International referee. I worked at the Cornell University (NY, 1992) for a joined research with the University of Florence on energy expenditure in children. Three students came from Amsterdam Medical Center to learn “Recognizing Hunger”. I presented results in Budapest (1974), Birmingham, Rimini & Vienna 1986, Buffalo 1988, Boston, Paris, & Bethesda MD 1989. Milano & Sacramento 1991, Princeton 1992, Oxford 1993, Hamilton & Toronto 1994, Clearwater, Florida 1999, Philadelphia 2001, University of California at S. Cruz 2002, Cincinnati 2004, Naples (Florida) 2006, Paris, 2008, Berlin 2013, San Diego (ASN) 2014. I published 130 scientific articles, about 40 in international Press.

 

Main findings:

 

60% of population lacks a right, subjective limit in intake and fattens or develops diabetes. Dieticians suggest spontaneous hunger as a signal for starting a meal. This suggestion may easily fail. Explanation:

 

Energy balance habits are stratified from low to high levels, and are associated with preprandial blood glucose (BG) that wavers ± 3.8 mg/dL (confidence interval) around each preprandial BG, the weekly mean. This is personal and constant through months and years. Evaluating hunger, people compare the current status with the sensations inside his/her own habitual preprandial BG range. This leds to an energy overloading state: habitual high BG before meals associated with  insulin resistance and the pathogenic response (STERILE INFLAMMATION, proinflammatory state).