A Social Report for Ireland Volume II - the NESC Website

people of working age 143People’s behaviours can promote healthy living or put their health at risk. Thechoices people have, and consequently their behaviours, are influenced by theirsocio-economic conditions. Risk behaviours include smoking, consuming excessivealcohol and being overweight. Some 29 per cent of the working age populationsmoke and some 28 per cent consume excessive alcohol with rates for both generallyhigher for men, young people and people in semi-skilled or unskilled occupations.The prevalence of both smoking and excessive drinking has declined slightly inrecent years, up to 2007 (the most recent year for which data are available). Half ofthe working age population have weight issues with 36 per cent being overweightand 14 per cent obese. Some 59 per cent of working age men are overweight orobese compared to 41 per cent of working age women.Smoking, drinking excessively and being overweight have a negative impact onhealth. Exercise and good nutrition can help – although conversely, lack of exerciseand poor nutrition can contribute to being overweight and to poor health. Onequarter of the working age population has high physical activity levels with menhaving higher activity levels than women. Some 22 per cent of the working agepopulation are inactive with time being given as the main reason for inactivity.Levels of physical activity have increased in recent years and the nature of activityhas also changed, especially for women, with a preference for individual activitiessuch as swimming, walking and going to the gym rather than team sports.Unskilled socio-economic groups are less likely to participate in physical activitythan professional socio-economic groups. In relation to diet, two thirds of theworking age population eat 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables every day,with women, older adults and professionals more likely to eat healthily.7.8.2 Ireland’s Policy Framework for HealthTowards 2016 contains the long-term goal that:Every family would have access to health and social care.Specific actions include improvements in health care provision, particularly primarycare. This will entail: a person-centred primary care service delivered through multidisciplinaryteams and networks; service development and delivery informed byneeds assessment; reductions in waiting times for public patients; an increasein acute hospital bed capacity, with a focus on public beds for public patients;development of a high quality community-based mental health service; improvedsupport for people on low incomes to access health services, including a review ofmedical cards; a strategic integrated approach to rehabilitation services to supportpeople back into employment; and development of palliative care.