Call for vending machine ban

Mr Ahern said: “The cost of treating obesity and related illnesses in Ireland is estimated at almost half a billion euro, whilst, most frighteningly, this year alone 2,000 premature deaths will be attributed to obesity,” he warned.

“Furthermore, children are now being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes – a conditions previously only seen in adults.

“In fact, excess body weight is now the most prevalent children disease in Ireland.”

The in-depth report of the National Taskforce on Obesity, which was handed over to the Government, contained 93 recommendations including forming an industry-wide policy on the contents of vending machines in post-primary schools and establishing guidelines for food labelling.

John Treacy, chairman of the taskforce, said the members were particularly concerned with childhood body weight problems – with more than 300,000 children overweight or obese in Ireland alone.

The report called for every child to have a minimum of 30 minutes dedicated to physical activity in school every day.

Mr Ahern said: ``The idea that in some schools, children are actually not allowed to run in the playground for fear of litigation in the event of a fall is nothing short of shocking.''

The Taoiseach said the old games such as Hopscotch which kept children active were gone.

Mr Treacy said Irish lifestyles had changed dramatically over the past 60 years and it must be stressed to parents that physical activity is essential to a child.

Medical evidence has shown that 39% of adults are overweight in this country - while 18% are obese.

Obesity in adults is increasing by at least 1% every year, while it is estimated that about 10,000 more children could become overweight or obese each year.

The Health Department established the taskforce last year after there were increasing reports of obesity among children and more developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Senator Mary Harney, President of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland, said: “It is terribly depressing.”

She said there were hundreds of parents and children at the federation’s last meeting.

Mr Treacy said: “What we have to do over the next five years is create an environment where parents and children have healthy choices. We need to create an environment where people have access to bicycle paths and walking paths.”

The report, Obesity: The Policy Challenges, recommended the Sports Department liaise with the Education Department to ensure the shared use of sports facilities between schools and communities.

Government Departments, alongside private sector and consumer groups, were called upon to take action on the advertising and marketing of fatty or sugary food products known to contribute to weight gain.

Mr Ahern told IBEC – which represents the food and drinks industry – that it was one area they could help the taskforce with by passing on the message of healthy living through their advertisements.

The study also recommended the Finance Department should examine the benefits of taxation that supports healthy eating, such as subsidies for fruit and vegetables.

Mr Treacy said: “We are not going with a ’fat tax’ but we should be looking at healthy options and making them more affordable because healthy food in terms of fruit and veg tends to be more expensive.”

On the issue of removing vending machines from schools, Mr Ahern said that he believed the drinks and food sector were quickly coming around to the idea of health promotion.

“It would be in their better interests as good consumer suppliers to start doing things that move towards this, that is the way to go,” he said. “Then we don’t have to have a third world war on this.

Rosemary Garth of the Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) said the industry recognises that it has a role to play in developing solutions to the obesity problem.

She said the industry, which had already established a Nutrition and Health Foundation, was looking at how a number of recommendations could be implemented.