Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire TD and member of the Oireachtas Health Committee, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, is calling on TDs and Senators to support the HEALTH initiative to help make their constituents healthier. The initiative has been developed the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) as part of Nourish Ireland Week.

“I am delighted to team up with the INDI for this worthwhile initiative and I am calling on other TDs and Senators to get behind it too. As elected representatives, we can act as messengers and health ambassadors in every county across the country.

“It is time that we as a nation that we faced up to our obesity problem. One in four Irish adults is obese. In the decade between 1990 and 2000, the level of obesity here increased by a massive 67%. We now have a situation where one in five Irish five to twelve year olds is overweight or obese. We must constantly look at new ways to address this escalating problem.

“The INDI wants to get TDs and Senators on board to help spread the message about healthy eating and to use our influence as public representatives to support the development of a nutrition policy for Ireland.

“Poor nutrition and bad diet choices are impacting on our daily lives, and they are costing the country billions. Not only does being overweight have an impact on your self-esteem, it has a major impact on your health.

“Being overweight can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers. We need to ensure we are all armed with the facts. The INDI is explaining to TDs and Senators about how they can help to make the nation healthier and I hope we can all play a role in making this a reality.”