This article is from page 17 of the 2006-11-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
A CLARE county councillor has called for controls to be introduced to halt “the endless advertising of high-fat foods and in particular to audiences including children.”
The councillor was voicing concerns at the figures on weight gain in Ireland published last week by the European Commission in their Eurobarometer Food and Health Survey.
The report states that Europeans weigh more in 2005 than in 2002. In 11 out of 15 Member States, the weight of citizens has increased.
The Green party councillor – who has campaigned in the past against McDonalds locating in Ennis – says there should be more control of how fast food companies advertise.
“The fast food companies are trying to change their image but little has changed in reality. I have been informed that in some fast food outlets, fries in Kiddie’s meals could not be provided ‘salt free’.”
Supporting his call for a fight against fat, the councillor quotes figures showing that fruit consumption in schoolgoing children has nearly halved since 1998.
Just 36 per cent of schoolgirls and 29 per cent of schoolboys eat more than one portion of fruit daily. Only 43 per cent of schoolgirls and 37 per cent of schoolboys eat more than one portion of vegetables daily.
The councillor said that research showed that 40 per cent of children exceeded the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of fat.
“Irish adults consume 10 grams of salt per day. This is over 50 per cent higher than the national target of six grams per day and more than double the RDA of four grams.
“Thirty-nine per cent of Irish adults are overweight and 18 per cent are obese. Levels of overweight and obese children in Ireland are higher than the European average. Twentytwo percent of 5-12 year olds are now overweight or obese.”