Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I acknowledge the presence of the Minister for Health and thank him for the responses I have been receiving on this issue, which I have been raising since I was elected. Having a background as a primary school teacher, the issue of childhood obesity is of great concern to me. The problem has developed to an alarming rate in Ireland and deserves more care and attention. Credit is due to the Minister for the establishment of a special action group to deal with this issue. Everything needs to be put on the table and examined with regard to this problem. The Irish Times recently reported the observation that childhood obesity is a ticking timebomb waiting to explode. Apart from its financial implications and the cost to the Exchequer, which is estimated at approximately €4 billion, the effect of obesity on the physical health and psychological wellbeing of the nation is being stored away for future generations and we can no longer ignore it.

In the United States, President Obama has given Mrs. Obama special responsibility for dealing with obesity. In recent years in Ireland the food we have been ingesting has been increasing while our movement rates have been decreasing. We are eating more and moving less, with the result that we are putting up weight at alarming rates. This is leading to cardiovascular problems, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and obesity related cancers. It also leads to people developing asthma at a much younger age. I have a special interest in this because I am an asthma sufferer. Endocrinologists say there is a strong link between obesity and type 2 diabetes which is now manifesting itself in the genetic make-up of society. We can no longer ignore this issue.

The problem was brought to my attention when I was training to be a primary teacher and a mother told me she could not find a first communion dress for her child, who was in second class, because the child was morbidly obese.

The problem must be tackled on a number of fronts. The most important is education. We must educate society as to the dangers of obesity. Many of us were fortunate to be brought up on boiled potatoes, meat and two vegetables, but some parents do not have the skills to produce a healthy lunch and give their children the start in life that other children are getting. I welcome recent media attention on this issue which is usually the focus of attention in January when people get involved in campaigns such as "Weigh the Nation", fitness regimes and so on. However, by mid-February the media has forgotten about it and many New Year's resolutions have gone out the window. I would like this issue to be tackled in the same manner as we tackled smoking, suicide and mental health awareness. We need to address this massive problem in our country.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Deputy for raising this hugely important issue. If we do not address it we may end up the first generation to bury the generation behind it, which is not the natural order of things or what any parent ever wants to be involved in.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased with alarming speed over the past 30 or so years, so much so that the World Health Organisation calls it a "global epidemic". The problem has been exacerbated in recent years as a result of our changing social, economic and physical environment and by a dramatic reduction in physical activity and changing dietary patterns. It is projected that if current trends are maintained half the population of the United States will be obese by 2025. The disease is now a major public health problem throughout Europe. The situation in Ireland mirrors the global obesity epidemic, with 61% of Irish adults now overweight or obese. Most worrying of all is the fact that childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in Europe, with body overweight now the most prevalent childhood disease. Some 25% of Irish children aged 5-12 and 20% of teenagers are either overweight or obese.

Childhood obesity is of particular interest to me. Obesity is a condition in which weight gain has reached the point of seriously endangering health. Some people may exhibit a genetic predisposition to weight gain but in general overweight and obesity in individuals is an excess of energy intake over energy expended. Obesity in children is of major concern in that it causes a wide range of serious health and social consequences and increases the likelihood of adult morbidity. The health consequences of overweight children during childhood are less clear but a systematic review shows that childhood obesity is strongly associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, orthopaedic problems and mental disorders. Moreover, childhood obesity is linked to lower self-esteem. More than 60% of children who are overweight before puberty will be overweight in early adulthood, reducing the average age at which non-communicable diseases become apparent and greatly increasing the burden on health services, which have to provide treatment during much of their adult life.

Earlier this year, a special action group on obesity was established, comprising key stakeholders to examine and progress a number of issues to address the problem of obesity. Alone no single initiative will reverse the trend but a combination of measures should make a difference. For this reason the group is concentrating on a range of measures, including actions such as calorie posting in restaurants, the introduction of a sugar tax on sugar-sweetened drinks, nutritional labelling, restrictions on the marketing of food and drink to children, the improved detection and treatment of obesity, revised healthy eating guidelines and the promotion of physical activity. The group will liaise with other Departments and organisations as required.

The Health Service Executive continues its work on many programmes and services to help prevent and treat obesity, including the provision of nutritional programmes, the roll out of national physical activity programmes, the community games and the all-Ireland media campaign "Little Steps". Equally the Department, in conjunction with other organisations and Departments, is involved in a number of programmes that encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

The World Health Organisation recommends that no more than 10% of daily energy should come from added sugar. It has serious concerns over the high and increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks by children in many countries. Sugar-sweetened carbonated drinks seem to be a contributory factor to the obesity epidemic. Research in the US shows that adolescents there now consume more calories from drink than do from the food they eat. The Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance conducted the national children's food survey in 2005,a survey of the diets of children in Ireland aged 5-12. Preliminary analysis shows a high intake of fat and sugar, a low intake of vitamins and minerals and high physical inactivity with 7-10 year olds spending three hours in front of a TV and-or computer screen every night. Looking specifically at foods from the top shelf of the food pyramid, every day children consumed 17 grams of chocolate, 11 grams of non-chocolate confectionery, 12 grams of savoury snacks and 26 grams of biscuits, cakes and pastries.

We take this problem seriously. The Government is basing its policy on evidenced based information. The Deputy may be aware that I recently visited the United Nations for the second ever meeting of the UN on a health matter, namely, non-communicable diseases. Each of the nations, developing and developed, are facing huge problems in relation to their health budgets and their ability to look after their people if we do not address this serious issue.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister for his reply. I do not believe this problem will be solved by the Department of Health alone. The Departments of Education and Skills; the Environment, Community and Local Government in terms of local authority housing location and infrastructure; and Transport, Tourism and Sport in terms of safe mobility, be it by foot or bicycle also have a role to play. Also, our national broadcaster has a role to play in regard to the times when advertisements for particular types of food are shown. Obviously it is in the advertiser's interest that these be shown when children are likely to be watching. The statistics on this are startling. It is estimated that 400,000 children in Ireland are currently obese. We cannot ignore that.

As a country that prides itself on being one of the world's finest food producers, I encourage the Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to engage, not alone with the food industry but with the games industry on this issue. The Minister referred earlier to the time children are spending in front of games consoles. While children will do this perhaps the games industry has an obligation to, through its games, encourage movement in children. There is one obvious game console on the market which encourages a lot of movement. There is an obligation on all of us to tackle this issue. If we bury our heads in the sand and pretend there is no problem, just as people did when they said smoking did not cause cancer, we will be only burying it for a future generation. We have an obligation to do more than we are currently doing.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I could not agree more with Deputy O'Donovan. This is a cross-departmental and cross-governmental issue, which is the reason the meeting was held by the United Nations. It is clear we can learn from one another. We all know there are vested interests involved here and that when it comes to advertising, high-sugar drinks and high-fat foods should not be shown when young children are watching television. We need to introduce regulations to deal with that issue. Equally, the display of calories on the contents of various foodstuffs is required. While there is some voluntary participation in this regard even that is skewed. There is a particular well known brand of snack which states on the package that the snack contains 130 calories. However, on reading the back of the package one finds it states in the small print that the package contains almost 500 calories, the first calorific count relating to a recommended portion. We are conducting research on this issue within the Department and are discussing with other Departments how it can be addressed.

Deputy O'Donovan is correct that the Departments of Education and Skills; Transport, Tourism and Sport; the Environment, Community and Local Government; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; Health; Children and Youth Affairs; and Justice and Equality have a role to play in creating a safe environment for people. Part of the problem is that it is much easier for parents to have their child sitting at home playing a games console or watching telly where they can keep an eye on them than it is for them to allow them out on the street to play. However, that is not the healthy option.

We have been in touch with Mayor Bloomberg's office. The Deputy Mayor, Ms Linda Gibbs, is currently visiting Ireland and I hope to make contact with her tomorrow to discuss some of the initiatives they have taken in New York in relation to this issue. We have a long way to go in terms of calorie posting and letting people know what is contained in what they are eating and drinking.