Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has developed or is developing, a strategy to address the growing problem of childhood obesity in view of recent statistics which state that 300,000 children here are overweight; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16326/08]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has established a Working Group to implement the health sector recommendations of the Task Force on Obesity for which the HSE has the lead responsibility and for which €3 million has been allocated. This is in addition to the annual spend of €25 million on health promotion activities, €5 million of which is utilised in specifically anti-obesity initiatives.

Funding has been provided by the HSE to University College Dublin to record height and weight in children at school entry point as part of an EU initiative to counteract obesity. The development of a national database to monitor prevalence trends of growth, overweight and obesity was also funded. The HSE is working with the Irish Universities Nutritional Alliance to research food and nutrition in children. Funding has also been allocated to the Irish Heart Foundation to undertake a project on marketing of foods to children.

My Department is working to address the wider health determinants, including issues such as diet, physical activity, food production and promotion, which are covered in the Task Force's recommendations.

My Department has already published food and nutrition guidelines for preschools and for primary schools. Guidelines for post-primary schools are currently being finalised. These guidelines are designed to assist schools to develop a healthy eating policy and promote the concept of healthy eating through a supportive school community. The guidelines will be available as part of a training resource for teachers, trained jointly by Community Dietitians and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Co-ordinators.

My Department is currently finalising a National Nutrition Policy, which will provide strategic direction on nutrition for the next ten years. The target group is young people, 0-18 years, and the priority actions are intended to reduce obesity and food poverty.