Finian McGrath
Question:156 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to deal with the increase in obesity among adults and children in 2004. [31843/03]
Written Answers. - Obesity Levels.
Earlier this year the SLÁN survey was published. It revealed that reported rates of overweight and obesity have increased in both adult men and women from 1998 to 2002, inclusive. Obesity rates for men have risen from 11%, reported in the survey in 1998, to 14% in 2002 and from 9% of women to 12% in 2002. The increase in obesity is accompanied by a significant increase in levels of physical inactivity. Numbers of those reporting no physical activity at all have increased among men, from 21% to 30%, and women, from 20% to 25%.
One of the key strategic aims in the national health promotion strategy is to increase the percentage of the population that consume the recommended daily servings of food and maintain a healthy weight. A key objective of the strategy is to implement national healthy eating guidelines. Food and nutrition guidelines for primary schools will be published shortly. They will aim to educate children on nutrition and enable them to make healthy food choices throughout life. The primary aim of the health strategy, Quality and Fairness, is to achieve better health for everyone through a population health approach.
National campaigns support the implementation of these strategies whose aim is to raise awareness of nutrition and physical activity. The campaign Let it Go – just for 30 minutes focused on the message that even minor increases in levels of activity can lead to positive health benefits. The national healthy eating campaign has concentrated on encouraging people to eat four or more portions of fruit or vegetables per day. As part of these campaigns health boards provide regional and local focus.
As a direct result of the cardiovascular health strategy there are now 36 additional community dietitians. They formed partnerships with community groups to provide nutrition education, cookery programmes and healthy eating projects. The majority of boards have been resourced to run specific targeted, focused, sustained programmes aimed, in particular, at those on low income. Physical activity co-ordinators have also been appointed to each board. Their task is to promote physical activity amongst the population as recommended in the national strategies.
The results of the recently published survey demonstrate that further action needs to be taken in order to halt and reverse obesity trends. Obesity has been linked to increased prevalence of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. My Department recognises the need to respond to the information rapidly.
A multidisciplinary task force comprising of the key stakeholders will be assembled shortly. It will be charged with planning and implementing a strategy whose primary aim will be to halt any further increase in obesity levels.