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Food poverty is defined as "the inability to access a nutritionally adequate diet".
In 2006, 290,000 people or 7% of the population were living in consistent poverty in Ireland. Consistent poverty means that they are living on a low income and are deprived of one or more basic necessities, including food related items.
- 11% went without a substantial meal on at least one day in the past two weeks.
- 11% were unable to afford a roast once a week
- 9% were unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken or fish every 2nd day
- 30% were unable to afford to have family or friends around for a meal or drink once a month
[For more information, go to www.cso.ie, EU SILC]
Food poverty is not just about the consumption of too little food to meet basic nutritional requirements. It includes social and cultural contexts where people cannot eat, shop for, provide or exchange food in the manner that is the acceptable norm in society.
Living in poverty and social disadvantage can affect diet in a number of ways:
- Affordability is a huge issue, affecting the choice and amount of food that can be bought.
- Access to shops can be problematic, as retail options, transport and storage/cooking facilities are often limited.
- Availability of healthy food in local shops may be an issue, they may not stock healthy options, such as fruit and vegetables, for a number of reasons including shorter shelf life, lower profit, a perceived lack of interest or a shortage of storage options.
- Awareness of what constitutes a healthy diet affects food consumption. There is a lot of misinformation surrounding nutrition and many people lack the knowledge and skills to prepare and cook a meal from scratch.
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