What is food poverty?

Food poverty is defined as the “inability to access a nutritionally adequate diet and the related impacts on health, culture and social participation” (Friel and Conlon 2004). In Ireland the main policy report dealing with the issue of food poverty is Food Poverty and Policy (2004), while in Northern Ireland the principal policy report is Food Poverty and Policy in Northern Ireland (2007). Both reports found similar findings:

• Low-income households are affected both by income availability and the relatively high cost of healthy nutritious food.
• Low-income households spend a relatively higher share of their income on food. Despite this, they have a poor diet both in terms of food and nutritional intake.
• Low-income households tend to shop at local convenience stores, where prices are higher and the variety of food is poor. Often in deprived areas transport is an issue, with poor public transport links leading to households relying on taxis.
• The consumption of a healthy diet is affected by factors such as food preparation, cooking skills and storage.
• While low-income households may be aware of healthier options, financial and physical constraints limit their ability to purchase healthy food. The Northern Ireland report found that higher social-economic households had a greater knowledge and awareness of good dietary practice.

Statistics

Food Poverty in Northern Ireland
Around 20% of people in Northern Ireland live in low-income households, with around 25% of children living in poverty (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2009).

59% of adults in Northern Ireland were either overweight (35%) or obese (24%) (NISRA Health and Social Wellbeing Survey 2005-06). In 2003/2004, approximately one in five boys and one in four girls in Northern Ireland were overweight or obese in primary one (DHSSPS 2006)

Food poverty in Ireland
The “official” measure of poverty in Ireland is based on a combination of a low-income measure and deprivation indicators – four of the indicators are food related:

• No substantial meal one day in the past two weeks due to lack of money
• Unable to afford a roast (or equivalent) once a week
• Unable to afford a meal with meat (or vegetarian equivalent) every 2nd day
• Unable to afford to have family/friends for drink/meal once a month.

Using this “official” measure the EU Survey of Income and Living Conditions (SILC) for 2006 for Ireland showed:

• Approx. 15% of the Irish population experience some type of “food deprivation” based on the indicators above
• Approx. 35% of those on low income (<60% of median income) experience food deprivation
• Approx 7% of the low-income population experience “intense” food deprivation (3-4 of the indicators above).

57% of the Irish population is either overweight (39%) or obese (18%) (Obesity Report 2005). Both the Obesity Report (2005) and the SLAN report (2008) also found that those in the lower social classes are more likely to be overweight or obese. One in five children aged between five and 12 years old are overweight or obese (National Children’s Food Survey 2005), and the same is found for 12 to 17 year olds (National Teen’s Food Survey 2008).