Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 18 April 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs

Tackling Childhood Obesity: Discussion

9:30 am

Professor Donal O'Shea:

Putting aside calorie-posting on menu boards, this is the Government's first use of fiscal measures to make an impact on a massive cost. Obesity is filling our hospital trolleys. If alcohol is added to that, more than 50% of emergency department admissions are between cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer and alcohol related problems. By extending the sugar tax, we run into the issue of the nanny state.