Almost two in three Irish adults are overweight or obese, however a new Government campaign aims to tackle this.

The 2019 Healthy Ireland campaign aims to raise awareness of Healthy Ireland (HI) - a Government-led initiative which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people living here. It began in 2013 and runs until 2025.

According to data from the HI unit in the Department of Health, 62% of Irish adults are overweight or obese, while just 37% consume five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Only 33% are getting enough exercise.

The 2019 Healthy Ireland campaign aims to encourage people to make better health choices using three main themes - healthy eating, physical activity and mental wellbeing.

"When you are trying to switch to a healthier lifestyle, it can be hard to know what to do and even where to start. The 2019 Healthy Ireland campaign aims to help you get the information you need to make positive changes to improve your physical and mental health," commented the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, at the launch of the new campaign.

Also speaking at the launch, the Department of Health's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said that improving the health of the population is an ongoing priority for healthcare professionals, but also society as a whole.

"We have made some good progress in implementing HI with significant support from the growing alliance of partners and champions for health and wellbeing across many different sectors at both national and local level, including local authorities, schools and colleges, workplaces and community groups.

"A key role for the health system as we move forward is to continue to build capacity in these other sectors, so that they can play an even stronger role in leading and sustaining a national movement for health and wellbeing, and increasing our collective focus on prevention," he commented.

For more information on Healthy Ireland, click here