Ireland a 'third world nation"with regard to youth fitness 

Ireland is a "Third World" nation when it comes to the physical sporting health of its young people, according to a leading expert in the field.

Professor Niall Moyna of the Centre for Preventive Medicine in DCU is involved in a research study of which details were released yesterday and showed that signs of early onset of heart disease in 15-year-olds are linked to poor fitness.

The DCU football manager also stressed that reshaping behaviour in primary school is vital if recent trends are to be reversed.