Youth obesity levels - Curriculum needs more nutrition

The great majority, 80%, of Irish teenagers are the correct weight, according to a year-long study of 450 secondary pupils aged from 13 to 17. Among some pupils, however, there has been a marked increase in obesity.

A 1990 study found that only 1% of boys were obese and a further 5% were overweight, but those respective figures have increased to 8% and 11% in the latest study. Among girls 3% were obese and 12% were overweight in 1990, but the obese figure has doubled to 6%, while the figure for those in the overweight category has actually declined to 11%.

The study found that both boys and girls are not generally eating the proper nutritional foods and their daily calorie intake is below the recommended levels. Instead of 2,400 to 2,900 calories a day, boys are only consuming about 2,200, while girls are only getting 1,600 even though their bodies need between 2,100 and 2,200 calories.

Another disturbing finding was that three-quarters of Irish teenage girls and 19% of boys were not getting enough iron in their diets. In addition, 42% of girls were not getting enough calcium.

It is hardly surprising that teenagers do not eat enough healthy foods, but then maybe these matters would be taken more seriously if the educational curriculum placed more emphasis on the teaching of nutrition and diet as fundamental aspects of life.