Education and awareness take center stage during World Thyroid Week at IBSA

World Thyroid Week was celebrated from May 25 to 31, an international event dedicated to raising awareness about thyroid disorders and the importance of prevention. The theme chosen for the 2026 edition, “Thyroid and Nutrition” highlighted the connection between diet, overall well-being, and proper thyroid function.

This is particularly significant given that thyroid disorders affect over 6 million people in Italy, mostly women, and that the relationship between diet and thyroid health continues to be shrouded in uncertainty, incomplete information, and false myths that can cause confusion and lead to behaviors that are not always appropriate.

For these reasons, it is important to provide accurate information and help raise awareness about a condition that is very common but often underestimated.  

Thyroid and Diet: Setting the Record Straight on Misconceptions and Myths

To wrap up World Thyroid Week, an event was held on the topic of “Thyroid and Nutrition” bringing together specialists, patients, food influencers, and journalists to explore the relationship between diet and thyroid health.

The initiative was part of the “Dal Palato alla Tiroide” communication campaign, organized under the patronage of the Italian Society of Endocrinology and with the non-conditional contribution of IBSA Italy, created to promote greater awareness of thyroid disorders through scientifically accurate information and practical tools such as the cookbook “From the Palate to the Thyroid,” designed to guide people in discovering the ingredients and dietary habits best suited to thyroid health.

During the meeting, Annamaria Colao, Full Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases in the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery at the University of Naples Federico II, and Maria Grazia Castagna, Associate Professor of Endocrinology in the Department of Medical, Surgical and Neuroscience at the University of Siena, answered some of the most frequently asked questions about the relationship between the thyroid and diet, addressing topics that are often the subject of misinformation and dispelling numerous myths that are still widespread. Chef and food blogger Sonia Peronaci also participated in the discussion, along with several patients and content creators, helping to make the conversation accessible and relevant to people’s daily needs.

The goal was to raise awareness about how a healthy diet can support thyroid health, while also countering the risk of “do-it-yourself” practices not backed by scientific evidence.