Taskforce backs taxes on foods that cause obesity

The Government should examine how the tax system could encourage healthy eating, the report of the taskforce on obesity will recommend.

Set up a year ago by the then minister for health and children, Micheál Martin, the taskforce, which is due to report to his successor, Mary Harney, shortly, wants the Department of Finance to conduct research into the effects of fiscal policies on food consumption. This could open the way towards a variety of incentives and disincentives and raises the possibility of so-called "fat taxes" on high-fat and sugary foods.

The recommendation that fiscal incentives be examined comes despite indications from Mr Martin that he did not favour "fat taxes".

Announcing the creation of the taskforce last March, Mr 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."

At the launch 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".

The taskforce sees a direct link between levels of obesity, which have increased by 30 per cent in the Republic in four years, and the marketing and advertising of processed foods.

The group will also recommend a doubling in the hours devoted to physical education in primary schools. The primary school curriculum must be restructured to include two hours of physical education a week, instead of one, with appropriately qualified staff, says the report. Primary schools should also offer supervised physical activity for 30 minutes daily, it says.

In all, children need 60 minutes of physical activity daily and the infrastructural support required to achieve this must be made a priority, the taskforce believes. It considers the tripling of obesity among children in the past decade as partly the responsibility of schools, which should have a "duty of care" to provide adequate exercise and food.

The obesity epidemic costs the State an estimated €370 million annually, according to the report. Obesity is responsible for at least 2,000 premature deaths annually.

The taskforce believes that nutrition is no longer within the scope of individual responsibility, since we live in an "obesogenic environment" lacking "meaningful choice" in diet and exercise, especially for those on low incomes.

The report calls on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Health and Children to enter talks immediately with the private sector with a view to taking action on the marketing and advertising of products that contribute to weight gain. Social welfare allowances should also be reviewed in light of "food poverty", so that those on benefits can afford healthier diets.

The taskforce, which is chaired by John Treacy, chief executive of the Irish Sports Council, also wants the Department of Agriculture to practise positive discrimination towards local producers of fresh food. There should also be a national, regularly reviewed code of practice for food industry sponsorship and funding of activities in schools and local communities.

Along with more than 2,000 premature deaths annually, obesity also causes 21 per cent of heart disease, 58 per cent of Type 2 diabetes and up to 42 per cent of certain types of cancers.

Public health doctors, health boards, food experts, An Bord Bia and Ibec are among those represented on the taskforce.

Members include Dr William Fennell, Irish Heart Foundation; Chris Fitzgerald, Health Promotion Unit; Dr Brian Gaffney, Health Promotion Agency of Northern Ireland; Dr Cecily Kelleher, professor of health promotion, UCD; Fiona Lalor, Food, Drink and Tobacco Federation, Ibec and Dr Donal O'Shea, endocrinologist, Loughlinstown Hospital.