An "obesity epidemic" is developing among adolescents across Europe, including Ireland, and nothing short of a "behavioural revolution" will stop it, the EU Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, warned yesterday.The commissioner was addressing a meeting of nurses in Dublin from across Europe.
While the situation in Britain and Germany was worse than in the Republic, obesity was still a problem here, affecting one in 12 adolescents, Mr Byrne said. In Germany one in five adolescents is obese while in Britain, the figure is one in six.
Mr Byrne revealed that legislation would be brought forward at EU level to ensure food companies did not make inaccurate claims in labelling. In addition any nutritional claims such as low salt or low sugar or low fat would have to comply with objectively verifiable criteria which would be set out in the legislation.
Legislation would also be brought forward on food-labelling in relation to the full nutritional content of all products.
He urged parents to watch the fat, sugar and salt intake of their children and to ensure they got regular exercise.
"Make sure the kids get up and get out and play football and not play with the computer all the time," he advised.
Part of the problem was that much of children's food intake was processed foods and food from fast-food restaurants.
"The fast-food generation are developing an obesity epidemic. The consequences for individual health and public health systems are stark," he said. "We are looking at slowing life-expectancy and escalating health costs.
"For the individuals, the toll in terms of illness, disability and quality of life will be significant."