Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1450. To ask the Minister for Health the amount his Department pays to sponsor a television programme (details supplied); the length of time the contract is for; the amount paid to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1299/23]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The World Health Organization states that obesity poses a major risk for serious diet-related noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer. Its health consequences range from increased risk of premature death to serious chronic conditions that reduce the overall quality of life.

In Ireland, overweight and obesity poses an increasing challenge with almost 60% of the adult population now living with overweight or obesity according to the Healthy Ireland survey 2022. Furthermore, almost one in five primary-school children is living with overweight or obesity (Report of the 5th Round of data collection, 2018- 2020: World Health Organization (WHO) the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI).

A Healthy Weight for Ireland, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework. Implementation of the OPAP is overseen by a cross-sectoral and cross-Departmental group, the Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group (OPIOG) chaired by the Department of Health. OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy.

It is recognised that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. Childhood obesity is a key priority under OPAP, as is reducing the inequalities seen in obesity rates, where children (and adults) from lower socioeconomic groups have higher levels of obesity.

Citizen engagement aimed at increasing awareness and understanding around overweight and obesity and encouraging behavioural change is a priority under the OPAP. As part of delivering on this agenda, the Department of Health, under the auspices of Healthy Ireland, sponsored Operation Transformation in 2021 and 2022. The sponsorship amounts are outlined as follows.

The duration of the contract for 2021 was from 6th January to 24th February and in 2022 from 5th January to 23rd February.

In 2022 a new citizen engagement campaign was designed by the Department of Health in consultation with the HSE and key stakeholders (including Bodywhys & the Irish Coalition for People Living with Obesity). The Healthy Weight campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the heightened risk of developing overweight and obesity for people in their 20s and 30s. The Healthy Weight campaign shares practical, expert information about four healthy behaviours that can help prevent weight gain, in order to support adults to be and feel healthier. These behaviours include good nutrition and eating well, managing stress, sleeping well and engaging in regular physical activity. It also aims to provide practical information around the opportunities which exist to take preventative action in your 20s and 30s.

The Healthy Weight campaign is just one of a series of initiatives funded by Healthy Ireland to address overweight and obesity in the Irish population. Many factors influence weight: our genes can play a role, where we live, our access to safe outdoor spaces, the advertising we are exposed to, our access to fresh food like fruit and vegetables at an affordable price, our exposure to junk foods, the amount of stress in our lives and how much sleep we get.

Many initiatives and policies which address different aspects of the complexity of obesity have been developed and progressed over the last number of years. A small number are referenced below:

- Following the publication of A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland in 2021, a dedicated, Food Reformulation Task Force in the Food Safety Authority of Ireland was funded to drive progress towards set targets to reduce calories, saturated fat, salt and sugar in everyday processed foods and drinks by working with industry and stakeholders;

- The HSE Model of Care for the Management of Overweight and Obesity, launched in 2021, sets out the care models for adults and children, with pathways to ensure a continuum of appropriate care..

- The ESRI has carried out research for the Department of Health on assessing the impact of Front-of-Pack labelling and product availability on consumer choice;

- Funding of €1.3m has been provided for 19 Community Food and Nutrition Officers as part of the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme, educating and empowering families in the areas of most need relating to healthy eating, etc.

- Healthy Eating Guidelines for 1-4 year-olds and a Children’s Food Pyramid were published in 2020 and Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Services were published in 2022. Guidelines for older persons will be published shortly and guidelines for teenagers are expected to be published in 2023.

- At an EU level, since 2020, Ireland has co-led with Portugal a Work Package on Restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and adolescents under the EU Joint Action “Best ReMaP” (Best practices in Reformulation, Marketing and public Procurement).