Task force on obesity fails to pack a punch four years on

THE battle against obesity will continue for years to come, it was emphasised yesterday, as it emerged only a slim number of a Government task force plans on fighting the health condition were implemented.

Minister of State Mary Wallace, facing the possibility of being dropped with next week’s shake-up of junior ministers, defended a Department of Health task force, claiming “great work had been carried out”.

However, only 19 of the 93 recommendations put forward by a national task force on obesity — set up four years ago — have been put into practice, a new report reveals.