Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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112. To ask the Minister for Health if he has studied obesity in children, with particular reference to identifying dietary habits and to disseminating information or protocols to assist children, teenagers and parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43158/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Childhood overweight and obesity are a major public health issue in Ireland. Health information data from Growing Up in Ireland(2012), theChildhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative(2012), the Health Behaviour in School-aged Childrensurvey (2015) and other sources confirm that one in four children are overweight or obese. As well as being a significant cause of concern for children’s health, the risk of obesity in older age is much higher if obesity starts earlier in life.

This Government established a cross-departmental Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO) in 2011, to advise on how best to halt the increase in rates of obesity and how to reduce the burden on individuals, communities and the State. Its work programme has included:

- The development of revised Healthy Eating Guidelines;

- With Safefood, a multimedia campaign to tackle childhood obesity;

- Action during the Irish presidency of the EU which led to the development of an EU Joint Action on Childhood Obesity;

- Treatment Guidelines for overweight and obesity;

- Calorie Posting in restaurants;

- Developing a code of practice for marketing in the non- broadcast media.

In addition, my Department assisted in food labelling, and in the development of a number of treatment algorithms and clinical guidelines providing for child monitoring in primary care.

As the Deputy will be aware, I prioritised the development of an Obesity Policy and Action Planunder the Healthy Ireland Framework as major project for 2015. Improving the level of healthy weight in children and reducing health inequality will be at the heart of the policy. I am pleased to say that the Obesity Policy and Action Planis now at an advanced stage, and I hope to be in a position to present it to Government in the near future.