Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 748: To ask the Minister for Health the number of obese children here; the annual rate of increase; the projected number in 10 years' time; the projected number in 25 years' time; the projected number in 50 years' time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20330/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Obesity is now one of the largest public health issue facing children in Europe and rates of obesity in children have increased rapidly in recent years.

Since 2003, there have been a number of Irish studies on childhood obesity showing that overweight and obesity levels are on the rise. While these studies have looked at different age groups, it is possible to conclude that up to 1 in 4 Irish primary school children are overweight or obese. This shows that there has been at least a two-fold increase in obesity in children aged 8–12 years since 1990.

The recent Growing Up in Ireland study found that overweight and obesity levels in children as young as three years of age are also one in four.

A similar upward trend in levels of overweight and obesity has been found amongst Irish teenagers showing that one in five teenagers are overweight or obese.

My Department in participating in the World Health Organisation European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative. This study was initiated in 13 European countries, including Ireland in 2007/2008 and it assessed the overweight and obesity levels in 6-9 year old school children. The study is repeated every 2 years and the most recent information on childhood obesity in Ireland comes from Round 2 in 2010. Measurements were recorded for 6609 children and 23% were classified as either overweight or obese. A significantly greater proportion of girls were overweight or obese compared to boys. The proportion of normal versus overweight and obese children did not change between 2008 and 2010. Round 3 will commence later this year and I am looking forward to seeing if the levels of overweight and obesity will stay stable. Given the data available it is difficult to make projections at present.

According to Round 1 of the European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative of the WHO, 24% of primary school children throughout Europe are overweight or obese.