Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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665. To ask the Minister for Health the action he will take to ensure that manufacturers reduce the sugar content in products such as breakfast cereals; and the steps he has taken to receive an explanation of the reason they use up to 30% more sugar in their products for the European market compare to amounts in the US. [22728/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I established a Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO) comprising representatives from key Government Departments and organisations to examine and progress a number of issues to address the problem of obesity. Whilst it was acknowledged that alone no single initiative will halt or reverse the trend, it was felt that a combination of measures should make a difference. SAGO has already raised the issue of reformulation of ingredients in certain food products with the Food and Drinks Industry of Ireland (FDII).

High sugar breakfast cereals are only one type of food which could contribute to the obesity problem. SAGO is now looking at ways of reducing food consumption from the top shelf of the food pyramid, in accordance with this Department's Healthy Eating Guidelines. It should also be noted that some breakfast cereals are low in sugar and some types of cereals in Europe are lower in sugar than their USA counterparts. Different countries may also have different recipes for certain products with similar brand names.