Over the past 3 decades the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased markedly in Ireland
and worldwide. In the Republic of Ireland it is currently estimated that 60% of adults and 25% of
children are overweight or obese. Obesity is a chronic disorder described by the World Health
Organization as a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation to the extent that health may
be impaired. Excess body weight is associated with a significant burden of chronic disease, with
attendant negative effects on overall life expectancy, disability-free life expectancy, quality of life,
healthcare costs and productivity.
While the personal and social cost of this global phenomenon are incalculable, researchers and policy
makers in a number of countries have estimated the economic costs of overweight and obesity.
Estimates of the economic burden of illness provide critical information for priority setting, policy
development and investment in both prevention and health services. The lack of reliable data to
estimate the cost of obesity in Ireland was noted in a report from the National Taskforce on Obesity
(2005).

21 November, 2017