Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
785. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 909 of 13 January 2021, if he will provide further information on the Budget 2021 funded project to develop healthy communities by addressing health and well-being in areas of deprivation; the range of stakeholders being included; the way in which child obesity is being dealt with in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4045/21]
View answerThe Healthy Communities initiative is intended to support health and wellbeing in areas of deprivation through targeted investments in health and wellbeing interventions in areas of greatest need. It will involve a partnership approach with a broad range of stakeholders, including government departments, the Health Service Executive, local government, local Community Development Organisations and voluntary groups. There will be a particular emphasis on areas with the highest proportion of young families. The initiative will leverage existing cross sectoral community-based assets and strengthen cross sectoral partnerships.
Child obesity is a key priority under the cross-governmental Obesity Policy and Action Plan, as is reducing the inequalities seen in obesity rates. It is clear that areas suffering socio-economic disadvantage suffer from higher overweight and obesity rates in all age groups, as well as worse outcomes under other health indicators such as physical activity and smoking. The Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative Report round 5, published in October 2020, found that, while childhood obesity rates overall were stabilising, this was not the case in relation to socio-economically deprived areas. The targeted approach of the Healthy Communities initiative aims to address the social determinants of health in a co-ordinated way in order to bring about improved health outcomes across a range of interrelated indicators, of which child obesity is an important element. This will include leveraging and expanding existing programmes such as parenting programmes, Healthy Food Made Easy and Making Every Contact Count. The initiative is still being developed in consultation with stakeholders, but it is intended that it will be implemented in a number of sites in 2021.
