Madam, - We congratulate the Mid-Western Health Board on its recent decision to object to another fast-food outlet locating in Ennis. We also take this opportunity to raise wider issues in this context.
The main issue concerning the Irish Heart Foundation is the proliferation of fast-food outlets as well as the aggressive marketing and advertising of particular food products to children. Only last week further studies showed how advertising to children affects their choice of food product - and this is all the more worrying when we consider that 95 per cent of food products marketed to children are high in fat, sugar and salt.
Levels of obesity are increasing in the Western world, including Ireland - and the accessibility and enjoyment of fast food is certainly a contributory factor. This will vary from individual to individual. Fast food is generally high in calories, fat, sugar and salt - and should form only a minimal portion of an overall balanced diet.
The International Task Force on Obesity acknowledges that it is the overall environment which is influencing an increase in obesity levels. This environment includes convenient and frequent access to food, TV advertising, incentives, lack of exercise, motor transport and sedentary work. Unfortunately the individual has little control or choice over behaviour in this environment.
The Minister for Health and Children is about to promote a strategy to tackle obesity. This is an urgent and most welcome initiative. We hope it will help the Government, the food industry, consumer and parents understand that at this point no one is specifically to blame, but all of us have responsibilities. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL O'SHEA,
Chief Executive,
Irish Heart Foundation,
Clyde Road,
Dublin 4.
Madam, - The reasons being trotted out to explain the growing size of Ireland's children include increasingly sedentary lifestyles, lack of competitive sport in the curriculum and fast food in schools.
We need to recognise that it is not the pre-teens of Ireland making lifestyle choices which lead to their obesity but rather their parents. Bringing children up on fizzy drinks, taking them to fried food outlets for birthday parties or weekend treats, driving them to school and putting TVs in their bedrooms are all significant factors in this growing problem.
Any public health efforts to curb childhood obesity that do not specifically target parents are a waste of time. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID FRENCH, Leap, Co Cork.