Sugar tax - Our health must not be squandered

There was a time when people joked about obese Americans waddling off busses in this country.

One could recognise them without ever even hearing them speak. They were overfed, overweight, and over here.

But now the problem has become an indigenous one. Over 60% of Irish adults and 22% of children from 5 to 12 years of age are overweight or obese. This could have lifelong implications for them and for our society, because they are in danger of developing serious health problems in later life, and this will undoubtedly become a drain on our economy. Hence the problem needs to be tackled without delay.