Obesity crisis - Death by a thousand calories

OUR children are fatter than ever before and are getting fatter. Unless they buck long-established trends they will be the fattest generation of Irish people ever.

The impact of the aromatic grunge that passes for food at many takeaway outlets is so profound that they — possibly the children you drive to school every day — might be the first generation of Irish people who will not live as long as their parents.

This has huge health, psychological and emotional implications, especially in a country with a health service struggling to cope with current needs.