Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It has been brought to my attention that sick children in Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin are being served sugar-laden foods as part of their diet while in hospital. Moreover, the person who brought the matter to my attention, a woman whose child is in hospital, could not find anything healthy to eat in the hospital shop or vending machines on the hospital site. This is shocking as it contravenes recommendations from international health organisations that babies and children under two years should have as close as possible to a zero sugar intake. According to a prominent study by the American Heart Association, there is strong evidence to support the association of added sugars with an increased cardiovascular disease risk in children. Research has also shown that adding sugar to a baby's food increases sweet cravings and instils a sugar dependency at a young age. As the baby grows, he or she will eat sugary foods ahead of others, leading to obesity and many other illnesses.High sugar in baby food also significantly increases the risk of tooth decay in babies. It is a very depressing thing to think of a child having to have his or her milk teeth removed because of a sugary diet. Obviously, it naturally increases the incidence of obesity and diabetes in future years. When it comes to Crumlin children's hospital, the irony of it is that sick children are being served disease-inducing sugary foods in a State health facility while a large sugar awareness poster is hanging in its corridors. It is all well and good to announce that we are going to have healthy eating and a healthy approach in our hospitals. However, that is very superficial if we are actually going to serve pasta with sugary tomato sauce on it to our children while they are sick in hospital.

I want us to have a meaningful debate in this House on childhood obesity with a particular emphasis on this area. If it needs to be a debate on obesity generally, that is fine, but a debate on childhood obesity is long overdue. I would really welcome it if the Leader could ask the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, to come to the House and tell us what is happening as regards the announcement he made last year, which I welcome and commend, that we would try to instil healthy eating in our hospitals. This does not seem to be happening. Pasta with Dolmio sauce or one of these sugary sauces on it is simply not good enough for children who are sick.