Food Poverty among Irish schoolchildren

A study published recently by The Centre for Health Promotion Studies, NUI Galway has found that one sixth of Irish children report that they go to school or to bed hungry, because there is not enough food at home. Food poverty can be defined as the inability to access a nutritionally adequate diet, so even if there is food in the home, it is not the right kind of healthy food that children need. This results in a poorer diet (less fruit, vegetables and brown bread, and more crisps among girls and fried potatoes and hamburgers among boys). Children reporting food poverty were also more likely to miss breakfast.

 Further detail in the report reveals that Children who report going hungry are less likely to: report excellent health and feel happy, while they are more likely to: report frequent physical and emotional symptoms, have been really drunk, smoke, have been injured and have bullied others. Going hungry in this context refers to children who report going hungry to school or to bed sometimes or more, because there is not enough food at home.

Food poverty is associated with poor health outcomes and increased likelihood of partaking in risk and anti-social behaviour. It may be surprising to find that food poverty is found in all social classes but contributing factors include issues such as work–life balance of parents, family (dis)organisation, as well as personal and family nutrition knowledge, which can affect any family.