17 Apr 2009

Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) Chief Executive, Dr. Jane Wilde, today welcomed Minister Mary Wallace’s statement on the need to re-double efforts in tackling obesity and her commitment to taking a cross-government approach.

Dr. Wilde said: “Most of the actions needed to prevent obesity fall outside the health sector and a much wider societal response is required.
   
“Making sure people have useful information on diet and exercise is vital. But tackling obesity needs much more than this. It is simply inappropriate to give people information and fail to act to create the conditions in which they can take up this information. For example, we need to make sure that healthy food is available, accessible and affordable.

“It is essential that the food industry acts responsibly on issues such as the composition of food products, sourcing and pricing of food products, simpler, consistent food labelling across the island and controls on marketing in the media and in-store promotions – particularly those aimed at children - as well as the location and content of retail food outlets.

“Creating an environment which allows children and older people to take exercise is also a crucial part of any obesity strategy. All government policies should consider their impact on health, in particular obesity. We need transport policies which put health to the fore. We need planning policies which recognise the importance of play. These are the key to an effective response.

“IPH has produced reports which outline the impact on health of the built environment, transport and education and these offer guidance for government departments and other agencies on ways in which policies could be more supportive of good health.

“The causes of obesity are linked to poverty, deprivation and social exclusion. During these very difficult economic times, inequalities often widen and the burden of obesity is likely to shift towards the less well-off. A recent IPH food poverty research project found that ‘around 20% of all households reported that (in the last 6 months) they had reduced their food spending in order to pay other household bills’.

“With food being one of the most discretionary aspects of household budgets, this will only get worse unless we take special care to support the most vulnerable in these very difficult economic times.

“There is a glaring need to build the evidence for effective intervention and to ensure that it informs the design and delivery of primary intervention programmes,” Dr. Wilde said.

IPH Associate Director, Dr. Kevin Balanda, added: “Knowing what works and creating better links between research, policy and practice is also important. IPH is establishing an Obesity Knowledge Centre to support implementation of obesity strategies, North and South. The Centre will widen access to data, evidence and good practice; help develop evidence about what works and what doesn’t, and help implement good policy and practice.

Further Information
Arlene McKay, Communications Officer, IPH: +44 (0)7734 903944
Dr. Kevin Balanda, Associate Director, IPH: 00353 (0)86 382 8583.

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH)
The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) was established to promote cooperation for public health across the island of Ireland. It aims to improve health by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policy in favour of health. Further information can be found at www.publichealth.ie.

ENDS