Written answer
Health Services
The Minister outlined cross-government action and funding to tackle obesity, including food reformulation, community nutrition, and HSE treatment services. A new Obesity Policy and Action Plan is being developed and is expected by the end of the year.
4128. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if she will consider additional funding and a strategy to deal with obesity issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59362/26]
Comment on this
The current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025).
OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.
Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.
Under OPAP, funding has been provided for numerous initiatives and programmes aimed at implementing the actions set out in OPAP.
In 2016, the Department of Health indicated its intention to introduce a food reformulation strategy for Ireland. The strategy was published in 2021 and is outlined in A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland. To implement the Roadmap, the Food Reformulation Task Force, a strategic partnership between the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and Healthy Ireland, was established in 2022, with funding provided by the Department on an annual basis in order to carry out implementation of the roadmap. Funding was extended to 2027 for the FSAI to continue working with the Food industry to reduce nutrients of concern, such as fat, salt and sugar in commonly consumed food in Ireland.
The Department of Health has also committed to funding the HSE Model of Care for the Management of overweight and obesity, which sets out how the healthcare for children, young people and adults living with overweight and obesity in Ireland should be organised and resourced now and in the future. In Budget 2025, additional funding was secured to complete Phase 1 of the HSE model of care.
In 2021, Sláintecare Healthy Ireland in the Department of Health, working with the HSE and local authorities and community agencies, launched the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme to provide increased health and wellbeing services in 19 community areas across Ireland. This Programme employs a Community Food & Nutrition worker in each of the communities that have been identified as disadvantaged, who work to improve community health and wellbeing in the community areas by addressing the issues of poor diet and food poverty.
The Department also provides funding to support the integration of childhood obesity services in primary care through an education programme that is delivered by a multidisciplinary team in Children’s Health Ireland. The Programme facilitates development of a network of health professionals around the country who are trained in line with the international recommendations and are committed to the delivery of evidence-based treatment for child and adolescent obesity.
In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine (DAFM) and Department of Education, the Department also supports the implementation of Food Dudes and the Incredible Edibles programme, which aims to teach children how to grow their own fruit and vegetables and teaching them the importance of maintaining a healthy, balanced diet by providing seed packs to primary school classes to allow them to grow their own produce.
The new OPAP is currently in development and is expected to be completed and published by the end of this year. As part of the development of the new OPAP, the Department is currently exploring all avenues and options to improve the health and wellbeing of those who live with obesity.