A new drive to curb the growing problem of obesity among children in Northern Ireland was launched yesterday.
A special taskforce was set up by Northern Ireland Health Minister, Ms Angela Smith, who has been given the job of developing ideas for improving the health and well-being of children and young people.
New research has revealed worrying levels of obesity among four and five-year-old children in the first year of primary school - with one in five boys and one in four girls being officially classified as overweight or obese.
The taskforce has been detailed to come up with ideas of how to redress the situation and has been told to report to the minister before the end of the year.
It will focus on dealing with the underlying causes of obesity - inappropriate eating patterns and food intake and insufficient physical activity. Commenting on the "Fit Future: Focus on Food, Activity and Young People" initiative, Ms Smith said that with the new school year about to start her department wanted to get the message across to children, parents, teachers and the range of organisations that work with young people, the importance of being more active and eating a healthy, balanced diet.
"Fit Futures is an attempt to involve and engage with those that know best about what can be done to encourage and support children and young people to be more active and to eat a healthy, balanced diet," she said.
The minister added: "Obesity is one of the most serious challenges to the long term health of our population.
"Being overweight or obese increases the risk of Northern Ireland's biggest killer diseases - coronary heart disease and cancer - as well as diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis."
Obesity could also have a direct impact on the self-esteem and emotional well-being of children and young people, added Ms Smith. - (PA)