Some 80% of Irish children are not active enough, Safefood has said.

As part of its ongoing campaign to tackle childhood obesity, it is calling on parents to ‘Bring Back Play' and encourage their children to be more active.

Children are recommended to be active for at least 60 minutes per day. This does not have to be all in one go - it can be broken down into 10-minute bursts - and can include everything from playing to walking to school.

According to Prof Niall Moyna of Dublin City University, who is supporting the call to play, ‘any amount of activity is better than none'.

"Worryingly, most children are not getting enough physical activity and 3 out of 4 adults don't get enough either. However we also know from research that children are more likely to be more active if their parents are active as well. This is one of the great life skills that parents can pass on to their children, as well as being something they can participate in themselves," he noted.

One in four primary school children in Ireland is already overweight or obese and this issue is starting at an earlier age, with 6% of three-year-olds already classed as obese.

Prof Moyna pointed out that aside from physical development, being active is also essential for mental development and it is a ‘great way of spending fun time together as a family'.

Meanwhile, according to Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan of Safefood, ‘active play for children is instinctive - we just need to bring it back'.

"Whether it's playing in the garden or playground, organised sports or active games like hide and seek - they all count. Children who get their 60 minutes plus daily have healthier sleep and eating habits too. And with the clocks having just gone forward, it's also a great time of the year to start new family habits," she insisted.

Dr Cate Hartigan of the HSE also pointed out that being active is something that families can do together and it does not have to cost any money.

"It's a great way to spend time with your children, to help them learn healthy habits, and to stay connected to them and their day-to-day lives," she commented.

Safefood's three-year all-Ireland campaign to tackle childhood obesity calls on parents to make practical changes within their families and reminds them of the detrimental effects of overweight and obesity.

It features on television, radio, posters, the Safefood website, Facebook and Twitter (#bringbackplay).

For more information, see Safefood's website here