James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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463. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to encourage young persons to limit screen time spent on smartphones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4512/18]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Last November, Minister Harris and I launched a new child obesity campaign, called START, which my Department has developed with safefood and the HSE.

Reflecting the partners involved in the campaign, the broader ‘START’ campaign is underpinned by ‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016 – 2025’ and is designed around four key themes to deliver a system-wide approach to tackling overweight and obesity:

1. Providing families with practical advice and support to help build their confidence in making positive changes to their lives including video, online and social content covering food, making changes and physical activity.

2. Delivering a consistent approach across all relevant sectors including schools, crèches, hospitals and GP surgeries by integrating the campaign with existing programmes such as the HSE’s Making Every Contact Count.

3. Supporting sustainable communities and tapping into existing community health programmes like Community Food Initiatives.

4. Tackling the obesogenic environment as a driver for change through key policy initiatives such as the new healthy eating standards for state-funded school meals and the sugar tax.

With these themes in mind, the campaign aims to promote healthy habits that are critical in helping those children who are a healthy weight now, stay a healthy weight and those who are overweight or obese achieve a healthier weight as they grow and develop The key healthy habits include:

1. Reducing portion sizes;

2. eating plenty of fruit and vegetables every day;

3. manage treat foods – not every day;

4. replace sugary drinks with water;

5. make being active fun – everyday;

6. have less screen-time; and

7. encourage more sleep.

The message to promote less screen-time involves zero screen time being recommended for children under 2 years and tips for parents such as:

- Figure out how much screen time is typical for your family and aim to cut it in half;

- Do not make too many strict rules at once. Start gradually and reduce by 30 minutes a day or every second day;

- Remove screens from your children's rooms;

- Explain to family and friends that you are reducing screen time and make sure that TV watched outside the home is part of their daily allowance or goal;

- Make meal-times a technology-free zone – no phones, TV, computers etc

- Do not forget to practise what you preach – if you’re attached to your device for long periods of time, your children will expect to be as well;

- Have a 'no tech day' once a week and plan some active time with your family. Turn off TV, Video games, computers and DVDs.