Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
454. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the way in which a person, business, community group or sports club can be involved in the delivery of the Government's obesity policy and action plan 2016-2025 at a local level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30481/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recently published Obesity Policy, “A Healthy Weight for Ireland” strives to empower individuals, families and communities to enhance their own skills to improve their health. Every sector has a role to play including industry and business. Overweight and obesity are conditions that develop over a number of years in both children and adults. The determinants are multiple and include the environment, access to healthy and affordable food, physical activity, exercise and leisure activity, cultural and societal norms, education and skills levels, genetic make-up and lifestyle choices.
In the past two decades, levels of overweight and obesity in Ireland have doubled to the extent that now only 40% of the adult population have a healthy weight, and one in four of our children are an unhealthy weight. Levels of overweight and obesity are higher in disadvantaged groups.
Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for many chronic non-communicable diseases. The burden of adult obesity in financial terms in Ireland has been estimated at €1.13 billion.
It is widely acknowledged that the solutions are multiple but complex. No single sector or agency is able to solve this issue on their own. The Healthy Weight for Ireland: obesity policy and action plan strives to empower individuals, families and communities to enhance their own skills to improve their health. Every sector has a role to play.
Examples of how individuals, business, community or sporting groups at local level can be involved in the delivery of the plan include, but are not limited to, the following:
Individuals
- Avail of information and supports to look at their own dietary and physical activity patterns and identify changes they can make. Information and support is available from GPs, pharmacists and online from www.safefood.eu, www.getirelandactive.ie.
- Volunteer with a local club or community organisation that provides opportunities for physical activity or is working to increase access to affordable, healthy food.
- Those who are parents can work with and support their school, through the Parents Councils, to take a whole school approach to healthy eating and physical activity, through the curriculum, training for teachers, engaging with programmes such as Active Schools Flag and Health Promoting Schools.
- Those who are employers can engage with programmes such as HappyHeart@Work or Active@Work initiatives or the Smarter Travel initiative to improve the health and well-being of their staff.
Business, sports clubs and community groups that work with or provide services or activities where young people gather:
- Increase the provision of healthy food options in vending machines, shops, cafes and restaurants;
- Limit marketing and promotion of foods and non-alcoholic beverages high in fat, salt and sugar; and
- Provide information to assist customers to make healthier food choices.
Sports clubs and community groups:
- Work with organisations such as Local Sports Partnerships to increase access and availability of facilities and opportunities for adults and children to take part in regular health-enhancing physical activity. For example in securing routes with the free weekly 5km park runs or Slí na Slainte.
