Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
612. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department will commission national projections of overweight and obesity prevalence to 2030 and 2040 as part of the next Obesity Policy and Action Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36089/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra613. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department will commission a full economic model of the annual cost of overweight and obesity to the public health service and wider economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36090/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra614. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the next Obesity Policy and Action Plan will include a national outcomes framework with standardised metrics for prevention, treatment, pharmacological interventions and bariatric surgery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36091/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra615. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department will require the HSE to publish an annual national obesity services report covering expenditure, access, waiting times, outcomes and service capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36092/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra616. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed the adequacy of the dedicated obesity-related budget line given the estimated direct healthcare cost of overweight and obesity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36093/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 612 to 616, inclusive, together.
The current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025).
OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.
Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.
While Ireland does not have official national projections of obesity prevalence to 2030 or 2040, international modelling indicates that many high-income European countries are likely to experience either continued gradual increases or a levelling off in obesity prevalence over this period. Ireland’s observed data to date show a pattern of significant increases up to the early 2010s, followed by more recent stabilisation, albeit at persistently high levels. See references at the bottom of this response. The undertaking of such national projections will be considered during the development of the new obesity strategy.
No standalone modelling has been undertaken on the projected impact of overweight and obesity on health service demand or workforce requirements in Ireland. The HSE has not produced a specific projection of the cost to the health service over the next ten years that is attributable solely to rising obesity prevalence. This is because obesity is a complex, chronic condition that contributes to healthcare demand across a wide range of diseases and service settings, rather than constituting a discrete, separately costed category of expenditure. Research commissioned by Safefood and undertaken by University College Cork estimated the annual economic cost of overweight and obesity in the Republic of Ireland at approximately €1.13 billion, based on 2009 data. The Department, in consultation with stakeholders, will consider the commissioning of an updated piece of research on this topic during the development of the new obesity strategy.
Outcome metrics are in place to evaluate obesity related programmes, but these operate at multiple levels rather than through a single, unified national outcomes framework. This reflects the cross-cutting nature of obesity services, which spans public health, primary care, community services and hospital-based care. At service level, local outcome metrics are routinely collected across obesity related programmes. These local datasets typically include service activity (e.g. referrals, assessments, discharges), clinical outcomes (e.g. weight change, BMI, relevant comorbidity indicators), programme completion and attrition rates, and patient reported outcomes where available. This information is used primarily for local service monitoring, clinical audit, and quality improvement, and is reported through internal governance and service planning processes.
The Department will consider a range options for inclusion in the development of the new obesity strategy, including outcomes frameworks and annual reports, following consultation with stakeholders. With regards to the dedicated budget line for obesity, this is reviewed on an annual basis prior to the announcement of the Budget each year and will continue to be done so going forward.
