Ms Grace O'Malley:

As previously highlighted by Dr. Sinead Murphy, our team in Temple Street is seeing children who are clinically obese. To put that into context, the average 9 year old child in Ireland weighs 34 kg, 5 stone 5 lbs. The average nine year old attending our clinic is 55 kg, 8 stone 9 lbs. We have seen over 400 children to date and as of today there are 150 children on the waiting list. These children have the greatest need for urgent holistic care. As outlined by Dr. Murphy they have myriad physical and mental health complications. We know from other EU experiences they are most effectively managed as outpatients of a paediatric hospital where they have access to the multiple specialties they require. More than 40% are from deprived to severely deprived areas, therefore, we see at first hand the effects of inequality on health outcomes.

Our patients range from 18 months to 16 years old and we receive referrals for specialist management from all over Ireland. From a study of 196 children who attended our treatment programme we have seen a significant reduction in obesity in line with best practice internationally. The obesity levels of children on our waiting list however continue to rise.

The W82GO! programme is delivered in the evening as a family-based group programme and uses facilities in Temple Street and in a nearby school. The group programme is delivered to children aged six to 12 years and aged 12 to 16 years. For children who are under six or who are not appropriate for the group programme, we see them on an outpatient basis. Unfortunately, due to the HSE staff embargo this service has had to be cut back significantly.

The treatment aims to improve nutrition, improve fitness, increase physical activity levels, improve emotional well-being and family functioning. We deliver educational and practical sessions to improve health literacy and empower families to make healthy lifestyle choices. Families learn how to shop and to read food labels.

At a European Union level it is clear that the Irish State is not meeting its duty of care to its children. Denmark, a country with a population of 5.5 million people, has an annual spend in the region of €10 million on childhood obesity treatment whereas in Ireland currently the spend on childhood obesity treatment is zero. Unfortunately, treating the problems of childhood obesity, as outlined by Dr. Murphy, has a cost. Approximately €5,000 per child is the current cost of treating co-morbidities such as breathing problems, or surgical orthopaedic issues.