for Ireland

A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016 - 2025
49
chapter six action plan
7.4 Develop and implement integrated
clinical care models for adults
and children (including chronic
diseases and services for people with
disabilities) with appropriate clinical
care pathways for all patients.
HSE 2016–2020
6.8 Step 8
Acknowledge the key role of physical activity in the prevention
of overweight and obesity
There is strong evidence to support the multiple
benefits of physical activity to health and
wellbeing. It promotes healthy growth and
development in children and young people. It
contributes to cognitive function. It is important
for healthy ageing and helps to maintain quality
of life and independence when we grow older.
It makes a very important contribution towards
balancing the net result of calorie intake and
expenditure and is also a preventative factor for
many non-communicable diseases (Department
of Health and Children and the Health Service
Executive, 2009; Department of Health and
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport,
2016).
The good news is that the trends towards
inactivity can be reduced. This would place less
demand on the health services, immediately
and in the future. The benefits also extend
much further beyond the health domain and
encompass social, educational, economic and
environmental benefits. But, most importantly,
investing in increasing physical activity levels
will make people feel better and work towards
making Ireland one of the healthiest countries in
the world.
Changing habits at population level is a huge
challenge. The evidence shows that successful
approaches to increasing rates of physical
activity in the population are long term.
Reversing the trends towards inactivity requires
commitment to a combination of strategies
aimed at individual and at population level.
It requires a change or realignment in some
policies. It might require some cultural shifts and
must remove environmental barriers.
Many things already happening in Ireland
support and encourage participation in physical
activity. However, no single organisation working
on its own can get the country more active. It
takes cross-sectoral partnerships involving all
levels of government – national and local – as
well as state agencies, the business community,
the sports community, the rest of the community
and voluntary sector, and of course the
commitment of individuals.
The Obesity Policy and Action Plan and
the National Physical Activity Plan are
complementary in addressing sedentary
behaviours and realising the benefits of physical
activity for weight control and for those who
remain overweight or obese. Both plans focus