People aged 25 to 34 are most at risk of gaining weight, the HSE’s Clinical Lead for Obesity has said. 

Today, the Department of Health has announced a new radio advertisement for their Healthy Weight campaign - which aims to prevent weight gain among young people. 

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Clinical Lead for Obesity Dr Donal O’Shea said people aged 25-34 pile on the pounds because of lifestyle changes. 

“You think about that decade, it’s a decade where you might stop participating in sport, you might have a first child, you might get into a serious job, you might get a car and start commuting in a different way than when you were a student," he said. 

“There’s a lot of things going on in that decade and the combination means it’s a good time to watch out and make sure you take positive steps to manage the things that can give you a healthier weight.” 

'The body doesn’t want you to shift that'

Dr O’Shea said the body has a “primal” desire to retain weight and it means slimming down can be a huge challenge for some people. 

“When you put on, say, 10 or 11lbs, you can shift three or four of those pounds easily but it’s very hard to shift all 10,” he said. 

“Women who put on weight during pregnancy will know this, it’s very hard to shift that and the body doesn’t want you to shift that. 

“The body likes to store as much energy as it can, based on our evolution and our genes.”

Quality of life

Diet and exercise are significant factors when it comes to weight gain but Dr O’Shea said many people underestimate the role other factors can have.

“Good quality sleep and sleep hygiene is an incredibly important part of your overall health - [both] mental and physical," he said.

"Increasingly, we’re not separating mental health from physical health because it’s one body and it’s one health,” he said. 

“If you can anticipate stress and try to proactively deal with it, you will be healthier all round and you will have a healthier weight. 

“We know from people attending our clinic for managing our weight, it is the people whose sleep pattern is regular and who spend time dealing with stress actively that have the best outcomes.” 

According to the HSE, 37% of people in Ireland have a normal weight, 37% are overweight and the remaining 23% are considered obese.

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