Time for real action on obesity crux - Slán 07 dietary survey

NOBODY should be surprised at the latest findings of the Slán 07 survey of the dietary habits of the Irish people.

The survey, which is the most comprehensive study of about 10,000 people, confirms that people are eating too much of the wrong foods and not engaging in enough physical exercise.

A total of 64% of Irish adults and 25% of children are overweight or obese. This applies to 47% of men and a staggering 70% of women.

If something is not done to reverse the trend, it will inevitably have serious consequences in terms of hypertension, diabetes, angina, and cardiovascular disease, which is the single biggest killer in this country.

We pride ourselves on our standard of education, but how many adults in this country have studied diet at any time during the whole of their schooling. Yet diet is one of the most fundamental aspects of life.

Three years ago the report of the Obesity Task Force made 93 recommendations that have remained largely unimplemented. There is little point in bringing out report after report and then ignoring any suggested steps that need to be taken.

One of the main planks of the taskforce report of 2005 was a call for the Department of the Taoiseach to take the lead on the health issues involved. But the Government has continued to downplay those issue by handing responsibility to a junior minister at the Department of Health.

Prevention is the key to dealing with such health problems, especially when this country is failing dismally in its duty to treat the obesity problem. There is still only one dedicated unit treating obese patients.

The unit at Loughlinstown Hospital has the capacity to treat 200 people a year, but there is a already a waiting list of 580, so at the current rate it would take almost three years to treat all of them. There are plans to open a unit in Galway next year and a further one in Cork the following year.

Interdepartmental co-operation is required to tackle the growing obesity problem. Education can play a vital role but proper leadership is essential.

This country showed leadership in tackling the problem of smoking. Ireland was not only one of the first countries to implement a ban on the advertising of tobacco, but was also a pioneer in the introduction of the smoking ban in the workplace.

Tobacco companies were long aware of the detrimental affects of smoking, but they still advertised heavily to attract young people. The aim was to get them hooked on tobacco at an early age. The behaviour of those tobacco companies was reckless and irresponsible in the extreme, and we should learn from past mistakes.

The Irish Heart Foundation has called for a ban on the advertising of foods rich in fat, sugar and salt before 9pm. Much of the advertising is being aimed at impressionable young people with the same irresponsible regard for the lethal implications.

We have had enough talk and reports. It’s time for the Government to provide leadership with real action.