€1.5bn of health costs due to poor public diet

THE country’s already struggling finances are being drained of at least €1.5 billion every year as a direct result of poor public nutrition standards and related conditions.

Speaking at a conference on nutritional values in UCD, Professor Marinos Elia, from the Institute of Human Nutrition in Southampton, warned that despite a lack of focus the issue could potentially cripple health services.

According to the leading expert, during 2007 the huge sum of money was spent every year to treat a series of malnutrition issues in the health service.