Taskforce report - Act now or face obesity nightmare

There is clearly an urgent need for the Government to take control of the problem of obesity in the country’s children because it is obviously not the concern of just one Government department or agency.

Just how important it is can be gauged by the fact that children are being presented at much earlier ages suffering from obesity, some as young as two years.

Before child obesity assumes crisis proportions, responsibility for implementing the more than 80 recommendations contained in the report of the National Taskforce on Obesity must be taken from the Health Executive Service (HSE).

It was never envisaged by the taskforce that the HSE would be given sole responsibility in the matters. It was given €3 million this year to begin to implement the report which was launched by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern 18 months ago.

It is simply not good enough to expect the HSE to cope solely with this problem because it involves more than just a health role.

A whole range of Government agencies need to be involved, from health to education to sport, to name just a few.

There is also a pressing need to change attitudes among Irish citizens to obesity and for that to happen there must be a coordinated and comprehensive approach.