Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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967. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the progress of each of the action points in A Healthy Weight for Ireland 2016-2025: Obesity Policy and Action Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39449/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, 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). OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent associated health risks, 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 challenge and needs a multi-pronged response, with every sector of society playing its part. The OPAP also includes breastfeeding as part of its remit, recognising the important role breastfeeding plays in a co-ordinated obesity policy.

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 University College Cork (UCC) covering 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 were rated with medium level of progress. Five actions out of sixty actions were identified with little progress made in implementation.

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 suite of population-health approaches of the OPAP.

The Department publishes annual progress reports on the implementation of OPAP covering the progress made on each of the action points and which can be found on the Department's website (www.gov.ie/en/healthy-ireland/policy-information/addressing-obesity/). The 2024 OPAP Progress Report will be published shortly. UCC are conducting another review of Implementation progress of OPAP using the FOOD- EPI process, which is expected to be published later this year.

The Department is also in the process of developing a successor strategy to the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, which will build on the progress made under the original actions included in the current OPAP.