Dr. Muireann Cullen:

There are a number of aspects, for example, the demonisation of the food industry or particular foods. It can be easy to claim that something is the fault of the energy in side, but we need to consider the energy out side as well. As a nation, we are not as physically active as we used to be. Levels have gone through the floor. From research in the United Kingdom that will probably show to be the case in Ireland also, we know that carrot consumption has reduced in the past 60 years and that physical activity levels are abysmal. We would be lucky if 10% or 15% of teenagers met the requirements for physical activity. The same applies to adults.

It is a matter of achieving balance. Speaking as a health care professional, there is no such thing as a bad food. What matters is how often one eats it, how much of it one eats and how one cooks it. If one has a nice shiny apple and then deep fries it, one is doing it no favours. It is down to moderation.

My friend has a great expression that I love: "If you are sitting on it, you ate it."

We need to get up, get moving and be physically active. People do not realise how much effort it takes to burn off the calories we consume. A standard confectionery bar can be equivalent to 45 minutes on a treadmill. Have it as a treat but one should not have it on a daily basis or three or four of them in a day. There are many such foods. It is about moderation and conveying the message that we need to burn it off. We all have that responsibility and a role to play, be it the Government, industry, non-industry or the consumer. We have the power as consumers over the food we purchase and industry responds to what is being purchased. If we opt for healthier options all the time, industry will respond to that. It is reformulating products and looking at different portion sizes. We, as consumers, also have the power.