A failure to recognise obesity as a disease has cost the HSE 56 million euro.

Obesity experts are calling on the Government to implement a treatment programme to reduce the financial and societal burden from obesity-related illnesses.

Professor Francis Finucane and Helen Heneghan ahead of European Obesity Day on May 20th.

Ireland is on course to be the fattest country in Europe by 2030, with 1.1 million obese adults.

Juliette Gash reports;