EU champs …for eating chocolate!

THE sweet-toothed Irish are among the world’s biggest chocoholics, with consumption of sugary snacks continuing to rise despite the obesity crisis.

This year, the average Irish person devoured 7.75kg of the dark stuff – equivalent to eating 155 Mars bars.

Despite our expanding waistlines, figures from global analysts Euromonitor International, show that chocolate consumption has risen for the third year running.

One in four children is now overweight or obese, while four out of five Irish children do not meet the physical activity guidelines.

Safefood has revealed that one fifth of the calorie intake from a child’s diet comes from sugary drinks, biscuits, confectionery, chocolate and cake.

The Euromonitor figures show that Ireland is in third place, behind Switzerland and Austria, in the chocolate rankings.

Not only that, but we are seventh in the world for indulging in sugary snacks.

‘Although health and wellness is a major contributing factor in the purchasing decision for many consumers in Ireland, the overriding trend for many consumers is indulgence,’ said the Euromonitor report.

Two out of three adults in Ireland are now overweight or obese, with obesity estimated to the State €1.1bn every year.