A heavy burden for our society

THE disclosure that four-out-of-10 people are overweight and almost a quarter of the population obese has serious implications for the country and the ailing health service.

What is even more worrying is the Healthy Ireland survey found young people are worst affected with one-in-three overweight.

This is hardly surprising as the study found over one-third of those asked admitted to eating at least one unhealthy food every day.

And despite campaigns to highlight the benefits of eating well, the survey found almost three-quarters of those polled said they did not get the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

It also emerged that one-in-six people take fizzy drinks daily a finding that highlights the need for increased sugar taxes.

Junior Health Minister Catherine Byrne’s claim there can be no room for complacency is something of an understatement.

There must be more emphasis put on the need for the public to take more exercise and to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables.

Educating parents about the importance of providing their children with a healthy diet should also be a priority.

Not only will these simple measures save a generation from a lifetime of poor health, it will also save the health service billions of euro in the long-term.