Despite increased health-consciousness and a range of awareness campaigns on healthy living, the modern Irish citizen is eating more, drinking more and exercising less. Joe Humphreys reports
These are among the findings of the National Health and Lifestyle Surveys which were published yesterday and aim to provide a snapshot of the nation's health.
In a depressing insight into levels of public willpower, alcohol consumption increased by 4 per cent between 1998 and 2002, and exercise rates dropped by 1 per cent - despite anti-alcohol awareness campaigns, and a proliferation of gyms and health clubs. The net result is that people are fatter than before.
Some 34 per cent of respondents to the surveys were overweight, an increase of 2 per cent on 1998. Some 13 per cent were obese, a rise of 3 per cent.
Women are doing more mild exercise than men, for whom the report suggests a common lifestyle of strenuous exercise followed by bouts of heavy drinking and fried food.
In a further alarming finding, more than a third of people aged 34-54 years admitted to driving after consuming two or more alcoholic drinks - despite ongoing anti-drink-driving campaigns. Women were almost as bad as men with 34 per cent in that age category admitting to the offence compared to 39 per cent of men.
On the plus side, the report notes a drop in smoking rates from 31 per cent to 27 per cent. People are also eating more fruit and vegetables with the number of adults consuming the recommended daily intake of four portions of such food increasing from 61 per cent to 69 per cent.
New exercise promotion and health awareness campaigns are now being planned to get people off the couch and into more regular physical activity.
The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, said he was also considering the introduction of new measures aimed at tackling the growing incidence of alcohol abuse and binge-drinking, particularly among young people.
There was a drop in the number of 10-14-year-olds reporting to have been "really drunk" but an increase in 15 to 17-year-olds.
Martin plans to encourage use of exercise: page 8; Editorial comment: page 15