Childhood obesity: A growing epidemic [Independent.ie]
- Published: 27 April 2010
While Michelle Obama spearheads a campaign to combat childhood obesity in the USA, Ireland is turning a blind eye to what experts warn is a future time-bomb in this country.
More than 300,000 Irish children are now clinically overweight or obese, and the National Taskforce on Obesity estimated in 2005 that the number was growing by 10,750 a year. Already, the health problems associated with obesity are making their mark on an overfed and underactive generation.
"Type 2 diabetes was unheard of in young people until recently," says Anna Clarke, Health Promotion and Research Manager with the Diabetes Federation of Ireland. It used to be something people got in their 60s and 70s. Then 10 years ago, four or five teenagers were diagnosed with it. Today, 250 young adults from the age of 14 have it."
Full Story: www.independent.ie
