Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issue of people who are overweight and obese is one we need to keep to the fore. Yesterday a report by Professor Ivan Perry of UCC was reported in the media. A study found the fact that people are obese or overweight is costing the country ¤1.1 billion every year. That cost is based on scientific evidence, so we should take it very seriously, and that is not to mention the effect on the health of these individuals and their demeanour. I am sure their mental health suffers in many cases as well.

It is estimated in the report that two thirds of the cost is as a result of absenteeism and lost productivity due to back pain and the remainder is as a result cost of health care, be it GP, drug costs, physiotherapy and everything else that goes with being overweight and having certain conditions such as heart disease, colorectal and other types of cancer, type 2 diabetes and stroke. We must be clear about how we will tackle this issue. We must target children and young people to ensure these problems are not carried by them into adulthood. The Growing Up in Ireland report on Ireland's 13 year olds was published today and it found a quarter of those surveyed are overweight or obese. It also found almost 40% of girls were trying to lose weight.

Obesity has a huge impact on children so we must tackle it now in order that it does not become an even greater problem later in life. We must encourage good habits in terms of eating and exercise. Young people who are overweight are also at risk of developing asthma and diabetes.

We are doing a lot in schools about exercise and while it is unfair to target schools all the time, the children are in a learning environment there and it is where they form the habit of exercising with their peers. The environment in schools, however, with tuck shops and vending machines filled with crisps, sweets and sugary drinks, was mentioned in the report. We should consider banning the sale of junk food in schools. Children are in school to learn and making such foods available is not conducive to developing healthy eating or the habit of exercise.

We must also talk about labelling in supermarkets. Tesco and Lidl are considering this but in Britain, all supermarkets are introducing the traffic light system of labelling, whereby a red traffic light means a food should be avoided, amber means it should be eaten in moderation and green means it can be freely consumed. That would assist people to make healthy choices for their eating and shopping habits.

There are many other areas where action can be taken. The Restaurants Association of Ireland is putting calorific values on menus, although some restaurants are resistant to the idea, which I understand because anyone who has attended a cookery course with Darina Allen knows that she considers full fat butter and full fat cream as essential for flavour. We must be aware, however, of the effect of such ingredients on health and the development of habits that young people will continue in adulthood.

In the United States, the First Lady, Michelle Obama, is playing a strong role in tackling obesity. As a Government, we should be developing policies that keep this issue to the fore to ensure the message gets through and we develop a healthier population.