Cost of obesity in Ireland expected to reach €13bn by 2030

Ellen O'Donoghue

The cost of obesity in Ireland is expected to reach €13 billion by 2030, with 60 per cent of adults overweight or living with obesity.

Meanwhile, one in five children in Ireland are overweight or living with obesity - putting them at greater risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and many cancers in adulthood.

The figures were contained in a survey commissioned by Slimming World, which revealed that 72 per cent of adults said they have put off even trying to lose weight, with those aged between 28 and 43 the most likely to delay at 79 per cent.

More than one in three people (34 per cent) say they have delayed losing weight for three years or more, and many  said that has impacted their health and caused them to gain even more weight.

The survey also revealed more than half have thought about losing weight at least once a week without acting, despite 57 per cent being unhappy with their size.

65 per cent said they know they eat unhealthy food, and the vast majority, 87 per cent, wanted to improve their health.