Vol. 577 No. 3
419 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will report on measures taken to address the growing problems of obesity here; the funding which has been provided for research and prevention; his views on the contribution fast food plays in rising obesity rates; and his proposals for addressing the problem in view of the serious medical implication of the condition. [30740/03]
The SLÁN survey published earlier this year revealed that reported rates of overweight and obesity, highlighted in the graph below, have increased in both adult men and women from 1998 to 2002. Obesity rates for men have risen from 11% reported in the SLÁN 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 both 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 who consume the recommended daily servings of food and maintain a healthy weight. As part of the strategy, a key objective is to implement national healthy eating guidelines. Food and nutrition guidelines for primary schools will be published shortly, the aim of which will be to educate children on nutrition and enable them to make healthy food choices throughout life.
The health strategy's primary goal is to achieve better health for everyone through a population health approach. National campaigns support the implementation of these strategies, the aims of which are to raise awareness of nutrition and physical activity. The campaign, "Let it Go – just for 30 minutes", focuses on the message that even minor increases in the level 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 dieticians in post.
Dietitians have 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 in each board, their task is to promote physical activity amongst the population as recommended in the national strategies.
