Reducing Malta’s rate of obesity by 4.3 per cent until 2020 would save the country €3 million a year, Health Ministry Godfrey Farrugia said today.

He made his comment as he launched a  Food and Nutrition Policy Action Plan for feedback by health sector stakeholders. The plan will eventually be launched to the public for consultation.

Eurostat figures still place Maltese men first in Europe when it comes to obesity while Maltese women are third, Dr Farrugia noted.

He pointed out that the dietary standards of EU countries were not ideal – ranging from malnutrition to obesity. Local studies showed a 12 per cent increase in overweight and obesity over a span of two years, when children were weighed and measured at seven years,then at nine.

In 2010, the percentage of overweight children increased to 43per cent from 32 per cent.

At least 22 per cent of Maltese 15 year old teenagers are obese while 36 percent are overweight.

The priority areas of the plan are to develop a communication strategy ; to develop a comprehensive system of surveillance and monitoring of food consumption; to review the Maltese good-based dietary guidelines and to carry out feasibility studies on fiscal/price policies in order to create a framework of incentives to ensure affordability and accessibility of healthy food.

Other points include mechanism to promote a reduction of salt, sugar, saturated fats, eliminate trans fatty acids and promote breast feeding.

The plan provides for consolidation of school initiatives for healthy eating and to create awareness of the negative impact of sugary drinks .