Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 130: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action which has been taken or is intended to be taken arising from the recommendations of the report of the task force on obesity in so far as they relate to her Department's areas of responsibilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34172/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Food Dude programme launched in October, and which will be run in 120 primary schools over three years, addresses one of the two recommendations to my Department in the report, namely, that "the Department of Agriculture and Food together with the Department of Health and Children should promote the implementation of evidence-based healthy eating interventions."

The programme, funded jointly by the EU Commission, my Department and WPI, a trade body, and managed by Bord Bia aims to increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables by primary school children in school and at home. It was developed by the University of Wales, Bangor, and is based on positive role models — the Food Dudes characters, repeated tasting and rewards. Studies show that it can deliver long lasting results across the primary age range, regardless of gender, school size, geographic and socioeconomic factors. It is designed to enable children enjoy healthy diets and to create a healthy eating culture within schools.

The other specific recommendation directed at my Department in the obesity task force report, is that "the Department of Agriculture and Food should review policies in partnership with other government departments to promote access to healthy food. Such policies should encompass positive discrimination in the provision of grants and funding to local industry in favour of healthy products." Positive discrimination in the provision of grants and funding to local industry in favour of healthy products, envisages a form of subsidisation that is not permissible under EU state aid rules and could be challenged on competition grounds.

The scientific study on children's diet, which was co-funded by my Department and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, was the first study to benchmark dietary intakes of a nationally representative sample of Irish children. The work was carried out by researchers in Trinity College, Dublin, and University College, Cork, who surveyed 600 children aged five to 12 years from primary schools throughout Ireland during 2003 and 2004 and collected information on diet, physical activity and body measurements on each child as well as lifestyle information for both the children and their parents. With regard to diet, the study identified that intake of fruit and vegetables was low and on average well below international recommendations. Fat and salt intakes were higher than recommended and food eaten outside the home accounted for less than 10% of total calorie consumption. Overweight and obesity in five to 12 year old schoolchildren was relatively high and increasing.

I consider it important that the data on diet and physical exercise collected in the study should be further analysed and cross referenced with other available information to assist in evidence based policy formulation and implementation and to provide the public and the food industry with useful information. My Department has had discussions with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the FIRM funding committee under the aegis of my Department on how this might best be done and I expect to have more detailed proposals very shortly. Obesity, particularly among the young, has been identified as a serious concern for society and it has to be tackled through long-term sustained commitment from relevant Departments, agencies and food industry stakeholders.