Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs

Tackling Childhood Obesity: Discussion

9:30 am

Ms Louise Reynolds:

As a registered dietitian, I see children going into petrol stations and buying those rolls. Those rolls are equivalent to four slices of bread. It is not a sandwich. It is two sandwiches. I heard the home economics teachers mention portion size earlier. It is a huge issue because even if it is breaded chicken, it is not what they should be having at lunchtime. There are huge portions of meat. The amount of coleslaw that goes on top is an issue. It is very difficult to make the healthy choice in that situation. One has to be educated to make the healthy choice. I have concerns about that. This is a great first step. We need to think about the fact that food is cheaper now. Unhealthy food is cheaper. If children are going into a shop, it is harder to buy a piece of fruit, a healthier option or a small sandwich when for the same price they can get something that has probably twice the calories of an average child's school lunch.

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