Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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 (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025). It was developed in recognition of the growing need for a coordinated policy response to the increasing problem of obesity in Ireland and the increasing burden placed on individuals and society.

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 recognises 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. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.

A mid-term evaluation was carried out by UCC which covered the period 2016 to May 2021 which examined implementation and progress on delivery of the actions under the OPAP.

The assessment showed areas of high levels of implementation, while also highlighting areas of limited action. Overall, across all actions (short-term, medium term and long-term) 10% (6/60) were rated by the expert panel with high levels of implementation, and 23% (14/60) with high levels of progress. Half of all actions (30/60) were rated with medium level of implementation and 53% (32/60) with medium rates of progress. Thirty percent (18/60) of actions were rated with low levels of implementation and 17% (10/60) were rated with low levels of progress. Finally, 10% (6/60) of actions were rated with very little implementation, with progress on 8% of actions (5/60) rated as ‘very little’.

The evaluation concluded that current health status, including the high rates of obesity of people living in Ireland, urgently needs to be addressed through upstream actions addressing our food and physical activity environments and the wider built environments. These actions should be combined with effective policies and programmes targeting individuals and families in diverse settings both outside and within the health sector. While much progress has been achieved, continued commitment across Government Departments to support the OPAP is required.

Separately, an internal review of the Obesity Policy Action Plan was published by the Department in November 2022 which provided an update on the status of some of the main deliverables in the Ten Steps suite of population-health approaches of the OPAP.

The OPAP Review aligns the Ten Steps in OPAP with the WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022 which included wide-ranging policy options the WHO recommends for addressing and managing obesity throughout the life-course, in addition to WHO policy options on nutrition for Ireland.

Preparation of a Progress Report for 2023 is currently underway and will be finalised in Q2 2024. The Progress Report will highlight progress made across all actions under OPAP by the Department of Health, agencies under the aegis of the department and other Government Departments that lead on or contribute to actions under OPAP.

As OPAP is coming to an end in 2025, officials in the Department are in the early stages of planning the successor.