Nearly one in three Irish seven-year-olds are either overwight or obese, according to experts.

The Oireachtas Health Committee was told yesterdy that around 32% of seven year olds in Ireland are overweight or obese and
Ireland now ranks fifth in the EU when it comes to childhood obesity.

Paediatrician Dr Sinead Murphy told the committee that the situation is worsening and if the problem was not tackled, nearly half of adults in Ireland will be obese by 2030.

There are around 100,000 obese children in Ireland at present.