Update 6.15pm: Research has indicated that 85,000 Irish children will die prematurely due to obesity. The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) is calling for vending machines to be banned in schools to help tackle the issue. "State-funded research suggests that 85,000 of today's children on the island of Ireland will die prematurely due to overweight and obesity," he said. The Irish Heart Foundation told the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs today that childhood obesity is the greatest single threat to the health of the country. They are seeking support for a blanket ban on junk food marketing to children under 16 years of age.

Source: Evening echo April 18, 2018 17:15 UTC