McAleese: Parents to blame for overweight kids

PARENTS carry much of the responsibility for overweight children, President Mary McAleese told a European conference on childhood obesity in Dublin yesterday.

President McAleese, who opened the three day conference in Trinity College, urged people to change their eating habits and lifestyles pointing out that obese children’s scope for the fullest enjoyment of life was clearly reduced in many ways and must be addressed.

She said obese children suffered from low self-esteem, were vulnerable to bullying and being excluded from everyday childhood experiences, especially sport and adventure play.