Food poverty among schoolchildren in Ireland. . HBSC Ireland Research Factsheet No. 13

HBSC Ireland 2010 has found that 20.9% of schoolchildren in Ireland report going to school or bed hungry because there is not enough food at home. This figure represents a slight increase from 16.6% in 2006. More boys (22.4%) report that they go to school or bed hungry than girls (19.3%). More children in the 10-11 year old age group report going to school or bed hungry at 26.8%, which is an increase from 18.3% in 2006. Children who report going to school or bed hungry are less likely to report excellent health and feeling very happy about their lives. They are more likely to report having been drunk, current smoking, being injured, frequent emotional and physical symptoms and to have bullied others. Food poverty in this factsheet refers to children who report going to school or bed hungry because there is not enough food at home.