A Dublin mother who blended McDonald's meals for her 4-year-old has been cited as an example of the extent of the Irish obesity problem. The child consumed close to one days worth of calorie intake for breakfast.

The implementation body Safefood is to launch a childhood obesity campaign next week to raise awareness of the issue.

While speaking yesterday at the Food Safety Consultative Council of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), the head of Centre for Food and Health at UCD - Prof. Michael Gibney - said regulation of food intake is one of the most complex areas of human biology, and that food choice remains one of the great challenges.

"Unlike other species, we divide labour. No other species does this. Each individual animal looks after their own needs, but we humans entrust our food supply to others" he said.

"This now creates a food chain, which will be subject to market forces and to food availability which makes it fickle, in a way not seen for other species. We also over-rule our biology. You might want to have another helping of potatoes, but you don't because you feel it might be bad manners".

"You might be offered a nutritious, wholesome dish, but decline to partake because you don't like it" he added.

Advertising expert Orlaith Blaney, CEO of McCannBlue, spoke on the growing issue of obesity. She said that while no-one forces us to put food in our mouths, 'a complex web of influences' can lead people to eat more than needed.

She cited research which shows that 2-in-3 of Irish consumers say parents are largely responsible for obesity, with the fast food industry, soft drink, confectionery and snacks industries being cited as also having a role to play.

"Advertising plays a role. We make food and drinks look delicious and appetising, but the main aim of advertising is to get consumers to choose one brand over the other, as opposed to encouraging consumers to eat or drink bigger volumes" she said.