The Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, together with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone TD, and the Minister of State for Health Promotion, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD today launched “A Healthy Weight for Ireland - Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016- 2025”. The policy and action plan aims to reverse obesity trends, to prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system and the wider society and economy.
In recent years, levels of overweight and obesity have increased dramatically with 60% of adults and one in four children in Ireland either overweight or obese. It is estimated that the cost to society in Ireland of adult obesity exceeds €1 billion per annum. Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for many chronic diseases. The links between obesity and heart disease, cancers, Type 2 diabetes, mental health issues, respiratory problems and musculoskeletal conditions are well established.
At the launch in Dublin Castle today, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD stated,
“Rising levels of overweight and obesity are placing an increasing burden on individuals and society and this represents one of the biggest public health challenges Ireland is facing today.
"While lifestyle choices are made by individuals and families, Government can and must help to empower people make these healthy choices. We have a responsibility to influence the environment and conditions which help people to have their desired quality of life and enjoy physical and mental health and wellbeing to their full potential.”
The Ministers announced a range of actions which would be undertaken over the coming years to address the growing concerns about overweight and obesity. These include
new national Healthy Eating Guidelines
Calorie Posting Legislation
Development of a Nutrition Policy
A new clinical Lead for Obesity will be appointed in the HSE
Prioritisation of Obesity services in the HSE service plans for 2017 and subsequent years
support for introduction of a Sugar Levy to encourage a reduction in the rates of consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages
Working with key stakeholders to develop a voluntary industry Code of Practice re food advertising, promotion and marketing
“whole of school” approaches to healthy lifestyles with the Department Education and Skills
Development of guidelines in relation to the built environment
Agreement on food reformulation targets with the food industry and establishment of a forum for engagement with industry on best practice initiatives towards a healthy food environment
Minister Harris also announced the establishment of a “Healthy Ireland Fund” to allow for “joined-up working” between Government Departments on evidence based projects, programmes and initiatives that support the implementation of Healthy Ireland. This will embed and implement Healthy Ireland programmes and projects in a variety of settings, including education, local authorities, workplaces and communities. The details in relation to the Fund will be announced at a future date.
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone TD, also launched ‘Healthy Lifestyles – Have Your Say’, a report of consultations with children and young people which was conducted to ensure the input of children and young people informed ‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland, Obesity Policy and Action Plan, 2016-2025’. The report of the consultations outlines the views of children and young people on what helps them and what challenges they face in having a healthy lifestyle. Actions in A Healthy Weight for Ireland directly address the issues raised at the consultations with children and young people, including those on the importance of healthy food, physical activity, smoking, the home, schools and the local areas. The report of the children's consultations was compiled by a research team from University College Cork.
Launching the results, Minister Zappone commented,
“I am very pleased to launch Healthy Lifestyles Have Your Say which outlines the views of children and young people on factors that help and hinder them in having a healthy lifestyle.
"Body image and media influences were identified as the main barriers to a healthy lifestyle among teenagers, including the pressure to conform to a particular body image. Exam stress and heavy study workloads were identified as contributing to sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles. Other school-related issues identified by young people include their criticisms of the teaching of social, personal and health education (SPHE) and the lack of choice in physical education, with the few alternatives to team sports it offers and its failure to cater for different interests.
"There is a growing body of evidence on the benefits of giving children and young people a voice in decisions that affect their lives, including the fact that it leads to more effective polices and services. My Department is strongly committed to the participation by children and young people in decision making and we are proud to be the first country in Europe to have published a National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making (2015–2020)”.
Speaking at the launch of “A Healthy Weight for Ireland”, Minister of State for Health Promotion, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD, commented that,
“There is no single solution to addressing the causes and problems associated with overweight and obesity. The 60 actions in the Plan require engagement with many sectors beyond the health service. We intend to act now and to do so together, in a planned and coordinated way.
"This Policy sets out effective and sustainable actions that will be taken by government, statutory and other sectors, communities and individuals. These include legislative, fiscal and environmental measures. Prevention is key and there will be a focus on children and on reducing the inequalities that are evident.”
“A Healthy Weight for Ireland” recognises that there are socio-economic inequalities in the occurrence of obesity in Ireland with rates considerably higher in the most disadvantaged areas. This will include action by the HSE to develop community based health promotion programmes with special focus on disadvantaged areas.
Progress on implementation of the Obesity Policy and Action Plan will be reported to the Healthy Ireland Cross Sectoral Group by the Department of Health. In addition, the Department of Health will regularly review outcomes; develop a suite of performance indicators to monitor progress on implementation; will develop a nutrition health surveillance system and a national physical activity surveillance system in order to report annually on the implementation of the Plan. The Department of Health will also conduct a mid-term review on overall progress in achieving the targets.
Notes for Editors
A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016-2025
"Healthy Lifestyles Have Your Say" - A report of consultations with children and young people.
Views were obtained from children aged 8-12 and from teenagers.
Charlie McCormack, aged 10 and from Talbot National School in Clondalkin, said: “At the consultations we said that most unhealthy foods are not allowed in school and we think this is important. Some kids think that they should get more time to do PE in school”. On the subject of smoking, Charlie stated: “Smoking is very bad for your health. People get lung cancer, black lungs and it makes you look older. If you are young, I wouldn’t advise you to start smoking”. “If a child lives near a park, he might go there every day, but some kids don’t have parks near them and we think this should be changed” added Charlie.
Bisi Ogooluwana, aged 11 and from St Audoen’s National School in Dublin city, said: “At the consultations we said that our families help us to have a healthy life because of how much food they give us and the type of food they give us. We said that sometimes home isn’t safe if a child is left alone. Pets are a big influence because when you bring your pet for a walk, that’s exercising. We can also play sports with our pets”.
Rebecca Kelly, aged 16 from Mayo Comhairle na nÓg noted that body image and the unrealistic expectations girls set for themselves was a top concern. She gave the example of the Kylie Jenner lip challenge. “This affected girls around the world who were sucking on shot glasses to create the look of fuller lips. This can leave long lasting bruising and sores. I know girls who have burst their lips due to the extreme pressure built up” said Rebecca. She stated that PE helps young people, but if they are forced to do it or feel self-conscious, they are less likely to participate. “At the moment there is a huge focus on traditional team sports like GAA or soccer. The need for less team sports and more general physical improvement sports like dance or circuit training was emphasised at the consultations” added Rebecca.
“Families were also identified as sources of support. But, a combination of the huge amount of time students spend on homework or study and the fact that many parents are working or separated means that young people have little time to talk to parents about stresses or worries” she said. Rebecca noted that the stigma attached to eating disorders makes it hard for young people to discuss food or body image issues and that the need for more mental health services was emphasised by young people.
Conor Greene, aged 16 and from Monaghan Comhairle na nÓg, said: “A big problem noted at the consultation was that the media pushed unrealistic body image through social media, Instagram and magazines. For teenage boys this image is being bulkier and built and trying to lead this lifestyle can be unhealthy”.
Exam stress was also a problem for teenagers. “Exams like the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert make teenagers stressed and unmotivated to lead a healthy and active lifestyle” said Conor. “One of the solutions discussed by the teenagers at the consultation was the opening of nutritional clinics to help teenagers understand how to lead an active, healthy lifestyle in an open and welcoming environment. Another solution mentioned was educating SPHE teachers more around teaching teenagers how to lead an active and healthy lifestyle and informing them about what eating disorders are and how to deal with them” stated Conor.