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All-island conference focuses on obesity problem
Leading obesity experts were in Belfast today to discuss how this growing problem can be addressed across the island of Ireland. ‘Obesity: weighing up the evidence’ has been organised by the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) and the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland (HSE).
The number of overweight and obese people across Ireland continues to rise. In Northern Ireland 59% of adults and 26% of children are overweight or obese.1 In the Republic of Ireland 50% of adults are overweight or obese and 23% of boys and 28% of girls (aged 4–16) are overweight or obese.2,3
Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of HPA, said: “Obesity is estimated to be causing around 450 deaths each year in Northern Ireland with a cost of around £500 million to the economy.4 Being overweight or obese increases the risk of health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers as well as having a major impact on education, employment and mental and emotional health. Improving nutrition and increasing levels of physical activity has never been more important and this conference aims to examine how we can combat the potential health and financial crisis we are facing.”
Catherine Murphy, Assistant National Director, Population Health – Health Promotion, Health Service Executive, said: "This conference affords delegates, not just from the health sector, but also our colleagues in government, industry, local authorities, education and sporting, community and voluntary organisations, the opportunity to discuss how we, in our various settings, can address the obesogenic environment and influence the development of national, regional and local approaches to help combat overweight and obesity throughout the island of Ireland."
The World Health Organization reports that obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges and has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. In New Zealand however, the rate of increase of obesity is beginning to slow down.
Victoria Evans, Senior Communications Advisor at the Ministry of Health in New Zealand, told delegates: “In response to the obesity epidemic the New Zealand government developed the Healthy Eating – Healthy Action strategy with the key goals of improving nutrition, increasing physical activity and reducing obesity. A large amount of work has been underway at a national, regional and local level to improve the lifestyles of all New Zealanders with initiatives focusing on priority groups which include Maori and Pacific peoples, children and young people and people on low incomes. New Zealand has managed to slow the rate of increase of obesity since 2002, but more work is still needed before obesity rates begin to decline.”
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Notes
to the Editor:
‘Obesity: weighing up the evidence’ will take place at the Europa Hotel, Belfast on Thursday 13 November 2008. Further details are available at: www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/work/Training/courses/pdfs/Obesity_Conf_A3_Flyer_web.pdf
Several key speakers will be available for interview and photographs from 10.45am to 11.15am.
A cross-departmental action plan,Fit Futures – focus on food, activity and young people, has been introduced in Northern Ireland and the Health Service Executive has developed a five year action plan, Framework for Action on Obesity based on recommendations from the National Taskforce on Obesity.
For media enquiries contact:
The HPA Press Office on Tel: 028 90311 611 or
The Health Service Executive Press Office on Tel: 00353 1 6352840.
1Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Health and Social Wellbeing Survey 2005/06. Belfast: NISRA, 2007.
2Department of Health and Children. Survey of lifestyle, attitudes and nutrition in Ireland 2007. Dublin: Department of Health and Children, 2008.
3Whelton H, Harrington J, Crowley E, Kelleher V, Cronin M, Perry I J. North South Survey of Children’s Height, Weight and Body Mass Index, 2002. Dublin: Department of Health and Children, 2007.
4Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Investing for Health. Belfast: DHSSPS, 2002. |
As from 1 April 2009 all Health Promotion Agency responsibilities have been transferred to the