Report warns of increasing obesity in Ireland

A leading health official has warned of the dangers posed by obesity to the future health of Irish children.

Dr Margaret O'Sullivan, public health medicine specialist at the Health Service Executive in Cork, was commenting on the results of a research study into the problem.

She said schools and families had to work together to tackle the problem. Rates of obesity among Irish children have almost tripled in the last ten years.

Dr O'Sullivan was commenting on the publication today of research into the problem in the Cork and Kerry areas.

The results of the study, entitled Our children..their future...why weight?, have been passed on to the National Task Force on Obesity to consider strategies to tackle the problem.

Sedentary lifestyles remain the single most significant factor in the increase in number of unhealthy children in Ireland.

The report found that most children have less than 40 minutes actual exercise in their weekly PE lessons.

"The report is significant because it looks behind the statistics of how society is feeding the problem of obesity and clearly indicates that the crisis requires tackling on multiple fronts," Dr O'Sullivan said.

She said the findings highlighted the crucial role of the home and school environment in the development of good eating and physical activity habits.

The report revealed families preferred sedentary pastimes such as going to the cinema, rather than more vigorous family pursuits such as walking or swimming.

It noted almost all extra-curricular training was aimed at sporty children.

Healthy food choices were not supported in post-primary schools, the report showed, and fast foods or convenience foods were the most common options in school canteens.

The report claimed supportive strategies for parents were needed to combat obesity. Campaigns to reduce television watching and the use of TV to promote positive healthy messages to children had to be examined.

The review stated primary schools needed to act as environments that adequately promoted an active life for children and guidelines to assist post-primary schools in providing a healthy food environment for students were needed.

Dr Patrick Doorley, National Director of Population Health, HSE, claimed that in developed countries it is now estimated almost 1 in 10 children are either overweight or obese.

"Ireland is not immune. Obesity is threatening our children's well-being, their development and their future health as adults," he said.