Ministers welcome report on combating child obesity

A report has been published today making recommendations aimed at combating child obesity in Northern Ireland.

The report, entitled 'Fit Futures: Focus on Food, Activity and Young People', has revealed that one in four girls and one in five boys here are overweight or obese by the time they reach Primary One.

The report also highlights the increase in obesity levels over the past ten years and outlines how this has become the main reason behind the rise in diabetes among children.

Health Minister Shaun Woodward today welcomed the publication of the report. He said: “I am determined to tackle the problem of childhood obesity. I am very grateful to the Fit Futures taskforce for their very detailed examination of the issue of obesity amongst children and young people in Northern Ireland.

“It is clear from this report that obesity in children is rising to worrying levels and will ultimately result in the early onset of serious medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

The Minister continued by saying that the report has outlined over seventy recommendations and positive solutions that could potentially promote and support the issue of healthy eating and regular exercise among young people and added that results can only be achieved by joined-up effort across government and different sectors of our society.

He said: “I recognise the need for such commitment and have, therefore, already agreed a cross-departmental target, to stop the rise in levels of obesity in children by 2010.

“I am determined that the recommendations of the Fit Futures report will be implemented as soon as possible. I will, therefore, be seeking, through the Ministerial Group on Public Health, to produce a cross-departmental response within three months.”

Today's report specifically shows the importance the contribution made by schools and early years provision can make in supporting children and young people to make healthy choices.

Speaking earlier, Education Minister Angela Smith also welcomed the recommendations in the report. She said: “Schools clearly have a key role in supporting the health and well-being of our children and young people, both by educating them so that they can make informed choices and by ensuring that healthy options are available to them when they are in school."

The Education Minister concluded by saying that she was committed to ensuring that all schools provide such support and have already initiated a major programme to improve food provision within schools.

(EF/SP)