A new healthy eating campaign in Ireland puts parents, not the industry, at the heart of responsibility for preventing childhood obesity.
The campaign, launched by safefood nutrition body and supported by Healthy Ireland, urges parents to make practical changes to everyday lifestyle habits such as portion sizes, drinks and screen time to combat the island’s high levels of childhood obesity.
It aims to highlight the importance of long-term changes for the whole family. Some of the messages from the campaign include giving child-size portions to children, and reducing ‘treat’ foods.
The campaign will feature on television, radio, poster and point-of-sale advertising and includes a free booklet for parents that will be available nationwide including in GP surgeries and local libraries.
Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA) data shows that approximately a quarter of primary school children in Ireland are obese. The prevalence of excess weight is also beginning earlier in childhood, with six per cent of three-year-olds being classified as obese.
Irish minister for health Dr James Reilly TD launched the campaign, and said that obesity will undoubtedly lead Ireland to an unhealthy and extremely costly future if action is not taken. “I want to encourage everybody to help create generations of healthy children who can enjoy their lives by making healthier food choices, by being more active and taking the first steps towards reducing overweight and obesity,' he added.
Minister for children and youth affairs Frances Fitzgerald TD said she particularly welcomed this new campaign, as it looks to help parents with practical tips for actions they can take: “Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in Europe and Ireland is one of the countries worst affected.”
A spokesman for the Irish College of General Practitioners, Dr Darach O’Ciardha, said: “Obesity is one of the conditions where prevention is certainly better than cure. Any move to educate parents about the need to monitor and prevent bad dietary habits which will last a lifetime from developing is welcome.”
He added: “This initiative is a first step in tackling the ticking time bomb that is rising obesity levels particularly amongst the young.”
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