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Obesity Strategy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

Ceisteanna (1001)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

1001. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of the short-term five-year targets for overweight and obesity as outlined in A Healthy Weight for Ireland (details supplied); if the targets for 2016 to date have been met in achieving the downward trend per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21733/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was launched in September 2016 as part of the Healthy Ireland Framework.  The OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. The Plan recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part.

The OPAP prescribed the following short-term (five-year) targets for overweight and obesity:

- a sustained downward trend (averaging 0.5% per annum as measured by the Healthy Ireland Survey) in the level of excess weight averaged across all adults;

- a sustained downward trend [averaging 0.5% per annum as measured by the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in the level of excess weight in children, and

- a reduction in the gap in obesity levels between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups by 10%, as measured by the Healthy Ireland and COSI surveys. 

The 2019 Healthy Ireland Survey, for which the field work was carried out between September 2018 and September 2019, found that 37% of those surveyed were overweight and 23% were obese.  These figures are the same as for the 2015 survey.  This indicated that by 2019 the overweight and obesity levels among adults were stabilising, but at a high level and were not showing signs of a sustained decline.

The report of the 5th Round of COSI was published in October 2020, and anthropometric measurements for this survey were carried out between October 2018 and January 2019.  This report found that overall levels of overweight and obesity among primary school children stood at 19.1%, and that these levels appeared to be continuing to plateau.  However, the report did not find the levels to be plateauing in DEIS schools.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted upon the survey methods used to obtain these statistics.  Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Healthy Ireland Survey was conducted by computer aided personal interview (CAPI) in respondents’ own homes, which allowed for in-person measurements of height, weight, waist circumference and BMI to be conducted. However, the most recent wave of the Healthy Ireland Survey, for which results have not yet been published, was conducted by computer aided telephone interview (CATI). This methodology is in line with current necessary COVID-19 restrictions and infection control requirements but does not enable measurement in person.  The Department is committed to administering the Healthy Ireland survey annually. The eighth wave, scheduled to commence interviewing in the Autumn, will be conducted using CATI. The possibility of returning to the CAPI format will be reviewed annually. Presentation and interpretation of the survey trends will take account of the switch to the CATI methodology.

While the data in relation to the targets in the OPAP are not complete, it is clear that obesity remains a significant challenge.  For this reason, there is a renewed focus on combatting obesity by this government, and a particular emphasis on addressing health inequalities in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.  In terms of the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, an evaluation of the policy is being carried out by the Centre for Health and Diet Research in University College Cork, which is expected to be completed by June 2021.  This will be an important input to the mid-term review of the OPAP which will be carried out this year, which will lead to a refreshed and updated Plan with a revised set of actions for the remaining lifetime of the OPAP.

Questions Nos. 1002 to 1005, inclusive, answered with Question No. 914.
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