ROME (Xinhua) -- Almost half of Italian offspring still live at home with their parents after becoming adults, a survey by national statistics office Istat reported on Monday.

It's a typical Italian characteristic, affecting especially adult men. According to Istat, 48 percent of those aged between 18and 39 were still living under their parents' roofs in 2003-2007.
The study highlighted a significant gender gap with 53 percent of adult men living at home as opposed to 42 percent of women, which proves the enduring stereotype of the Italian mamma's boy. On top of doting mothers, however, Istat listed economic difficulties as the leading factors keeping young Italians at home.
Of those unable to move into their own homes, 47 percent were unemployed or didn't earn enough money. The country's jobless rate exceeded 8 percent in October and average salaries are low.
High housing prices are another factor hindering the offspring's independence.
But for Italian youth it's not a problem. Some 44 percent said they were “happy” to live with their parents and in no rush to move out.
According to Istat, “the prolonged co-habitation of children with their parents is among the chief problems facing the nation.”
Istat blamed the phenomenon on the country's low birth rate and diminished levels of social and cultural dynamism, which have serious consequences on the economy.