New research finds 1 in 5 primary school children living with overweight and obesity

New data published today from the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI): Round 6 2022-2023 shows that while prevalence has not increased and most children in Ireland have a healthy weight (73%), a significant percentage (17.7%) live with overweight and obesity. 

The research, commissioned by the HSE, also finds a greater prevalence in schools that participate in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme (25.4%) versus schools that do not (16.1%). 

Welcoming the publication of the research report, Minister Colm Burke, Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy said:
“It is encouraging to see that rates of overweight and obesity have not increased since 2012.  However, the continued higher prevalence in areas of disadvantage remains a concern, as no matter where someone lives or goes to school, every child in Ireland should have the same opportunities to be healthy and to thrive. 

As Ireland implements the EU Strategy on Rights of the Child and European Child Guarantee, across Government we are re-focusing our efforts to address child poverty and social exclusion to break the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage evident in many places.  Initiatives such as Sláintecare Healthy Communities and the expansion of the free school meals programme since April this year are in place to improve children’s health and wellbeing but the research shows that we have more work to do to support every single child to grow and develop healthily from birth through to adulthood.”

The latest survey findings show:

• In an average classroom of 30 children, six will have overweight or obesity
• In DEIS schools one in every four children have overweight or obesity
• Less than one in every ten primary school children have underweight, and no differences in the proportion of children were seen across areas of disadvantage
• No differences, in all categories, were seen between urban and rural areas
• The majority of schools have a curriculum, environment and activities that are known to promote positive health outcomes
• Few schools have fresh fruit or vegetables (free or paid for) available to children during the school day.

Professor Cecily Kelleher, UCD College Principal, College of Agriculture and Health, University College Dublin, who leads the team of researchers working on the Irish arm of COSI at the National Nutrition Surveillance Centre said:
“The health of our children, largely predicts the health of our future adult population.  We know that childhood obesity is largely preventable through effective policies that can intervene early to create environments and behaviours that support healthy growth and development for all children.  Robust population surveillance efforts like COSI are a valuable means of accessing our progress and the impact of these interventions over time.

As always, we’re very grateful for the support of the school communities – teachers, parents and children – who through their participation have allowed us to develop a rich understanding of childhood weight over time.”

Sarah O’Brien, National Lead, HSE Healthy Eating Active Living Programme said:

“Healthy weight for all children is important because we know that for many the consequences of childhood overweight and obesity can be lifelong, affecting their quality of life and health both now and in the future.  When we live surrounded by fast food outlets and healthy options nearby are limited or more expensive it makes it harder to put healthy food on the table and this can lead to poorer health. 

“The higher levels of overweight and obesity that we see in areas of disadvantage is a concern and we need to act now to improve the health and wellbeing of all children by ensuring all children have easy access to affordable healthy food and physical activity opportunities, at home and in our communities, and that our social norms and values are not influenced by the marketing and promotion of unhealthy foods.”

In 2008 the World Health Organisation (WHO) initiated the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative to provide an ongoing and systematic process for the collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of descriptive information for monitoring obesity in the WHO European Region and for use in programme planning and evaluation.