TheJournal.ie uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Click here to find out more »
Dublin: 7 °C Thursday 23 May, 2013

Health Committee to resume hearings on childhood obesity

Committee Chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD said childhood obesity is a “very important and serious health issue which needs to be tackled urgently”.

Image: Rob Hainer via Shutterstock

THE COMMITTEE ON Health and Children will resume its hearings into childhood obesity tomorrow when it meets with the Nutrition and Health Foundation, Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management and publisher and food critic Trevor White.

Committee Chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD said the Committee planned to meet with a number of groups and individuals as part of its on-going hearings on tackling childhood obesity, which he described as a “very important and serious health issue which needs to be tackled urgently”.

Buttimer said that recent studies had highlighted the issue of weight gain and obesity among children and young people and how this is impacting on individuals in particular and the health service in general.

“We are looking forward to meeting with representatives from the Nutrition and Health Foundation, Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management and Trevor White tomorrow to get their perspectives on the issue and discuss in detail their views and ideas on dealing with the issue of childhood obesity.”

The meeting takes place tomorrow, Thursday, 15th November, 2012 at 9.30am in Committee Room 2, LH 2000 – before which it will consider a motion from Senator John Crown to prohibit smoking on the Leinster House campus.

Read: Health Committee to discuss ways of tackling childhood obesity through sport>

Read next:

Comments (14 Comments)

  • Irresponsible parents = fat children.

    Reply
  • I think the stakeholders of the Nutrition and Health Foundation (NHF) should also take some credit for the obesity epidemic. This is an industry funded lobby group which I don’t believe has any interest in health only their profits.

    Reply
  • France is proposing a tax on foods that contain certain oils, the people call it a Nutella tax. Will we follow? with “The tayto tax” perhaps?

    Reply
  • Barry 14/11/12 #

    Eye opening stuff guys, watch sugar the bitter truth

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    Reply
  • Breastfeeding is a key risk factor for obesity that hasn’t been addressed at all by the Taskforce on Obesity, despite other countries starting their campaign against obesity at this logical beginning. Each month of breastfeeding is associated with a 4% reduction in risk of being overweight. Figures around the risk of obesity at age 9 show that babies who are exclusively formulafed are at a 61% increased risk of being obese compared to babies who are breastfed for just 3 to 6 months, and a 104% increased risk compared to those who are breastfed exclusively for 6 months, as per the HSE recommendation.

    There are lots who feel these figures shouldn’t be shared for fear of making anyone feel guilty and I certainly don’t agree with guilt tripping mothers, we still deserve facts though, right? Just like those above! Also there is lots of evidence to suggest that a huge majority of irish mothers WANT to breastfeed, they just don’t get the support to do it. If we change that and give them the support they deserve, the impact on our obesity rates could be hugely significant! Start at the beginning!

    Reply
    • totally agree Chris. it’s one of the issues people seem reluctant to bring up but as the statistics show it’s clearly relevant.

      Reply
    • Shane 14/11/12 #

      some mothers can’t and when they can’t they are made feel bad. it’s a joke. here is a tip stop letting them watch Tele and get them active and it won’t matter if they were drinking formula from a tap.

      Reply
    • There is definately a big issue with breastfeeding support. I tried BF my newborn after a c section, I had 2 lines in my right arm at my wrist & elbow & another 3rd line in my left arm. I was told to let the baby lie next to me & he’d latch on himself & no need for me to hold him even though i was on flat of my back. I “failed” after 48 hours of non stop trying & no one would help. 2 years later I still feel guilty but I know now I just needed more help. I bet there are lots more mums like me too who just didnt get the help they needed to successfully breastfeed.

      Reply
    • Social class is at play here too. As a young working class mother it was assumed by the hospital staff that I would bottle feed. I also had to resist peer pressure as I knew very few people who had breast fed. This is borne out in statistics which show professional people most likely to breast feed and unskilled least likely. These bottle fed children are also less likely to have access to leisure facilities and their parents may not have the resources to make healthy meal choices.as they grow up.

      Reply
    • Shane 15/11/12 #

      so true Emma. feeling guilty going up to get formula from midwives telling us different things. I have great time for nurses but our experience wasn’t good. flip side our little man is strong thank god and clings to no one. breast feeding can lead to other issues also.

      Reply
    • Shane 15/11/12 #

      so true Emma. feeling guilty going up to get formula from midwives telling us different things. I have great time for nurses but our experience wasn’t good. flip side our little man is strong thank god and clings to no one. breast feeding can lead to other issues also.

      Reply
  • Free Lipo for kids. And let’s go back to our parents days when they had to walk or cycle several miles to school come rain or rain in practically bare feet. No SUV’s full of curly whirlys back then. If you’re finding it tough getting the kids to exercise regularly try tying them on to one of those power walkers you see every evening on the roads in rural Ireland

    Reply

Add New Comment