While acknowledging the severity of the problem, Dr. Sinead Murphy maintains the issue is more complex than one might expect and insists the matter requires further understanding.
According to the doctor, Temple Street Children's Hospital has treated a number of children who would be classified as obese, with one child weighing almost 30 kg - twice the average weight of their age-group.
Commenting on the issue, Dr. Murphy refers to a stereotypical response to the issue, saying: "Childhood obesity has less to do with bad parenting than many believe. The families that I meet are at the end of their tether and don’t know where to go."
Dr. Murphy suggests that, in addition to psychological and genetic factors, the country's history plays a role in the issue which has given rise to much bullying nowadays.
"We are not that far away from famine and wartime in Ireland, when food was scarce. There is still the prevailing message that children must eat everything on their plate. Children are encouraged to eat more when they say they are full at dinner time," she explains.
Elaborating on the point, the paediatrician goes on to say: "From the moment they are born, food is used as a means of pacifying children. Treats and rewards for children tend to be unhealthy products."
Dr. Murphy, who is a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland policy group on obesity, notes the need for an increase in services as she highlight the link that exists between childhood obesity and mental health issues.
"There is a degree of sadness in the children I meet. Bullying is a major problem. These children also have a high incidence of mental health problems and low self-esteem," she reveals.
In an effort to combat the growing problem, a community-based programme for treating childhood obesity is currently being developed.
