James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Health, I have made excess weight and obesity a public health priority. I have established the special action group on obesity, or SAGO, with which I meet regularly to further the obesity agenda. The range of measures being implemented by my Department seeks to promote healthy lifestyles, encourage adults and children to make healthier food choices and increase activeness. SAGO is working on a combination of priority actions which, taken together, should make a difference in the long term. These measures include calorie posting in restaurants, healthy eating guidelines, addressing the marketing of food and drink to children, treatment algorithms, opportunistic screening and monitoring for excess weight and obesity, addressing vending machines in schools and a physical activity plan. SAGO is also looking at ways to promote healthy eating in accordance with my Department's healthy-eating guidelines.

The health and well-being programme in the Department of Health is working with the HSE and safefood to develop an integrated advertising and promotional campaign for September 2013 to increase awareness among parents of the health challenges posed to their children by excess weight. The target audience of the campaign includes primary carers of children aged between one and 12 and key influencers, including health professionals, community development workers and educators. Key partners are being identified, as are opportunities for them to come on board and deliver some of their existing projects in the context of the broader campaign. The core message of the campaign will be broadly focused on families in general and will inform them of what to do if they recognise unhealthy behaviours, rather than focusing specifically on weight status. Body image issues and the stigma of being overweight or obese are critical factors to be borne in mind in all aspects of the campaign.

As Minister for Health, I arranged an informal EU ministerial meeting during our Presidency, of which, I am pleased to say, childhood excess weight and obesity issues were a key element. The European Union is drafting an action plan for member states to take this work forward.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The HSE has a significant involvement in addressing childhood obesity. This includes three intervention programmes and 18 national prevention programmes targeting children. There are also regional obesity intervention and prevention programmes. The HSE is also involved with the W82GO programme and has recently agreed that the programme will be expanded in Dublin. The HSE has also advised me that it will be training a further 12 people across the country and may extend the programme further next year.

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