Ireland's teenagers are now taller and heavier than they were 35 years ago.
A new global study has looked at how the height and weight of 19-year-old men and women have shifted since 1985.
The Lancet medical journal study shows 19-year-old's in Ireland have grown taller by an average of 2 cms compared to their counterparts in the 1980's.
Men now stand at an average of 179 cm tall and women 164.5 cm, or 5'9 and 5'4 respectively.
The study shows the Body Mass Index (BMI) of 19-year-old men and women went from 21.7 in 1985 to 22.7 for men and 22.6 for females in 2020.
Professor Donal O'Shea, the HSE's Clinical Lead on Obesity, says the increases are down to how life has changed since the mid-80s.
"Our diet has become much more processed, high in fat, salt and sugar, and our physical activity levels have changed and reduced significantly in terms of how we get to school or college and within the workplace."
The Healthy Ireland surveys show childhood overweight and obesity rates here are starting to level off and for the first time ever, the HSE is finalising a model of care for managing overweight and obesity issues.
The HSE is now recruiting more than 50 dieticians and healthcare professionals to provide structured weight management support in primary care centres across the country.
