Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 April 2019
178. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the progress on meeting the targets as set out in A Healthy Weight for Ireland in regard to a sustained downward trend as measured by a survey (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18166/19]
View answerIn 2016, under the Healthy Ireland Framework, the Government published Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan which sets a clear short-term target for a sustained downward trend in levels of excess weight in children and a reduction in the gap in obesity levels between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups by 10%. Since 2006, when the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe started a Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, the Department of Health has participated in this WHO Initiative to collect the measured weights of children aged 7-9 years for 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015. Over this time-frame, the results have shown a stabilisation in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in both boys and girls.
However, children in disadvantaged schools have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in comparison with children in non-disadvantaged schools. In addition, overweight and obesity rates among children older than 8 years in disadvantaged schools seem to increase as they grow up. The next round of the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative results will be available before the end of 2019.
The annual Healthy Ireland Survey involves in-home, face-to-face interviews with a sample of approximately 7,500 individuals representative of the Irish population aged 15 and over. The Survey collects height, weight, waist circumference and Body Mass Index measurements every second year, which allows calculation of overweight and obesity prevalence across the adult population.
The baseline measurements in 2015 indicated that 37% were overweight and 23% were obese. Overall, 68% of adult men and 53% of adult women were overweight or obese.
Measurements were repeated in 2017 and 39% were overweight and 23% were obese. Overall, 70% of adult men and 53% of adult women were overweight or obese.
The weight measurement module is being repeated in 2019 and results will be available before the end of the year. These findings will form the basis for monitoring the gap in obesity levels between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups.
