Vol. 510 No. 5
44 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, he plans to take arising from recent findings that Irish children are less active and generally heavier than any other children in Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22856/99]
I am not aware of the findings referred to by the Deputy. In fact information made available to me recently from the national nutrition surveillance centre at NUI Galway based on a sample of 8,497 Irish school aged children in primary and post-primary schools and compared with similar data from 28 other European and North American countries shows that in relation to time spent exercising, Irish children rank about middle of all countries surveyed.
However, I am concerned about worrying overall developments which have emerged from the recent national lifestyle survey, Slan, in the areas of children's activity levels and dietary trends. The health promotion unit of my Department will be bringing forward new proposals in this area shortly.
Currently my Department is involved in a number of developments in the area of child nutrition. A nutrition education at primary schools, NEAPS, programme has been developed by the health promotion unit of my Department in conjunction with the Department of Education and Science and the North Western Health Board. This programme, which is aimed at third and fourth class levels in primary school, is available for distribution to all primary schools through the health boards. The aim of the programme is to improve the level of nutritional knowledge in children and to develop the skills necessary to enable them to use that knowledge to implement change. An evaluation of the NEAP's programme has found it to be very successful.
In addition, the health promotion unit, in conjunction with the Eastern Health Board, has also been actively conducting a peer-led education programme among low income groups. The food and health project is a nutrition education programme using a peer led community development approach and is aimed at low income women who are working within the home and who are primarily responsible for food shopping and preparation.
The recently published cardiovascular health strategy Building Healthier Hearts contains a number of key recommendations to address the issue of overweight in children including the provision of nutritious foods in tuck shops and school canteens. It also calls for a greater emphasis on physical activity in the school setting for all ages and at all levels of ability.
