Children should be the main focus of any European initiative to reduce obesity, according to submissions made to a consultation process conducted by the European Commission.
Many submissions made calls for free or subsidised fruit and vegetables in schools and for the increased availability of healthy foods in canteens and vending machines.
They called for a reduction in portions, and the promotion of physical activity at work - particularly walking or biking to work.
Government agencies, industry groups and individuals around Europe made 274 submissions to the European Commission, with nine coming from Ireland. The submissions were published yesterday.
A submission from health promotion officers in the Health Service Executive called for a tackling of public liability laws to counteract "no running in the playground" policies of many schools. It also called for the setting up of a European research centre for non-communicable disease as well as centres in every EU state to co-ordinate research in areas such as nutrition.
It recommended private companies be screened before being allowed to sponsor sports activities, so fast-food chains or confectionary companies were not associated with healthy activities.
In its submission, the Women's Health Council called for greater promotion of breastfeeding because of the reduced risk of obesity in breast-fed babies. "Between 15 to 20 per cent of the risk of overweight can be attributed to formula feeding," it said.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) called for EU policies to protect children from high-fat, high-sugar snack foods in schools. "They are too young to make appropriate choices themselves," said its submission. "Asking a child or adolescent to choose a healthy alternative to a highly palatable high-fat, high-sugar snack will not work."
It also called for EU legislation to provide for health impact assessments for every planning proposal affecting communities. The assessment would look at the provision of green spaces and footpaths to encourage walking to schools and shops.
A submission from dietitians in the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute said national standards for the assessment of the weight status of Irish children were needed "urgently". The surveillance of children's weight could be done when they attended routine checks such as vaccinations or GP clinics, it said.
It also called on the EU to make fruit and vegetables more affordable by subsidising prices and providing incentives.
While many submissions called for more detailed food labelling to highlight unhealthy foods, Ibec's Food and Drink Industry Ireland group said extensive nutrition labelling was not effective. "The system with the longest history [of labelling] and the most extensive one is found in the US, where a wide list of nutrients is mandated. In spite of this, obesity has steadily increased to reach among the highest levels in the world."
Some 14 million children in Europe are overweight and three million of these are obese, according to the European Commission.
Up to 27 per cent of European men and 38 per cent of women are deemed obese, depending on the member state concerned.
EU health and consumer protection commissioner Markos Kyprianou said this public consultation would inform strategy on nutrition and physical activity.
