A third of Irish children are obese, according to a new study.

The World Health Organisation has found that our children are the 8th most overweight in Europe, and 58th in the world.

It comes as a sugar tax was introduced in yesterday's budget to tackle Ireland's obesity epidemic.

Nicole Gernon reports:

Irish Heart says it's seeing children as young as 8 presenting with high blood pressure due to being overweight.

The new study to mark World Obesity Day has revealed obesity levels among children around the world have risen 10 fold in four decades.

It's prompted the World Health Organisation to call for governments to limit the marketing of junk food.

Paschal Donohoe took action yesterday with a tax on sugar sweetened drinks - it'll add 60 cent to a 2-litre bottle from April.

There has been criticism though that the tax isn't high enough and doesn't apply to foods which are high in sugar.

Researchers are warning that while rates have plateaued in high income countries like Ireland, they're still unacceptably high and a multi-layered approach is needed including education, exercise and tougher advertising rules.