As many as 85,000 of today's children will die prematurely as a result of overweight and obesity unless "drastic action" is taken, the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) has warned.

According to the charity, children as young as eight are presenting with high blood pressure as a result of excess weight, while young people are showing early signs of heart disease, which are usually not seen until middle age.

Obesity affected just 1% of children in Ireland in 1975, but by 2016, 30% of girls and 31% of boys were overweight, with 9% of girls and 10% of boys obese.

According to Helena O'Donnell, the IHF's childhood obesity campaign manager, if this issue is not tackled, "more children will go on to suffer heart disease and stroke in the future".

The IHF highlighted a recent Ipsos MRBI poll, which found that 85% of people support a ban on unhealthy food and drink ads within games and apps played by children under the age of 16.

"Brands have now achieved an inappropriate proximity to children online, engaging relentlessly in school, at home and even in their bedrooms, mostly through smartphones. The State is failing to protect children's health," Ms O'Donnell commented.

Some 76% of those polled are also in favour of a ban on celebrities promoting junk food, while 75% would support an end to price promotions that encourage larger meal sizes.

The IHF is calling on the Government to tackle unhealthy food marketing. It noted that while a partial ban on broadcast advertising to children was introduced in 2013, this move "sparked an upsurge in unregulated digital marketing".

It wants to see mandatory restrictions and penalties being placed on junk food companies who market to children online and on broadcast media.

It is also calling on the public to join the 7,500 people who have already backed this initiative by signing the online petition here.