Some 300,000 Irish children are either overweight or obese, a report from the National Taskforce on Obesity has claimed.
'children are actually not allowed to run in the playground for fear of litigation' - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
The report published today also said that 39 per cent of adults are overweight and that 18 per cent are obese.
Unveiling the study, the Taoiseach Berie Ahern said the Government had to take a leadership role in tackling the growing problem of obesity in Ireland, and that the country could lead the way on this issue in the international arena.
"We are a small nation, but we have demonstrated in the past that we can take an advocacy role, at an international level, in areas such as this," Mr Ahern said. He called for support from the private and the public sector, and denied that Government intervention in this area amounted to a "nanny state".
"While some people characterise Government intervention in areas like this as 'nanny state', it is, in fact, quite the opposite," he said. "We are trying to empower people to make healthier choices and provide access to a healthier lifestyle."
The report made a number of recommendations across six sectors, including education, health and high-level government. One such recommendation said that children should have a minimum of 30 minutes dedicated physical activity each day in all educational settings, and schools should meet the minimum requirement of two hours of physical education per week.
"The idea that in some schools, children are actually not allowed to run in the playground for fear of litigation in the event of a fall is nothing short of shocking," the Taoiseach said. "This is the type of fundamental issue that needs to be addressed if we are to have any hope of creating healthier environments for our children. "
The taskforce's report also recommended research into subsidies for foods such as fruit and vegetables, to encourage their consumption.
The group did not recommend the introduction of so-called "fat taxes" on unhealthy foods.
Announcing the creation of the taskforce in March 2004, the-then minister for health Micheál Martin said there would be "a lot of complications" with a tax on junk food and he didn't "see it as a reality in the short term".
"Obesity is caused by lifestyle choices. Habits need to be changed if an obese person is to stand a good chance of losing weight. There are no quick fixes," he said then.
At the publication of an anti-obesity campaign six months later, Mr Martin said such taxes were "not on the agenda".
"It's a sexy headline, but how do you implement it? There are huge logistical issues. There may be alternative ways of getting at the issues, such as engaging with industry."
However, he insisted at the time he did not want to pre-empt the conclusions of the taskforce by completely ruling out "fat taxes".