New report finds nearly half of Irish teens do not eat fruit and veg daily

Nearly half of Irish teenagers do not eat fruit or vegetables every day, a new study has found.

Despite this, however, a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that Irish teenagers rank better than their international counterparts on several health metrics.

This includes smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

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The report from the OECD is called Health at a Glance: Europe 2024, State of Health in the EU Cycle.

It was found that almost half (47 per cent) of 15-year-olds reported that they eat neither fruit nor vegetables every day. This is better, however, than the EU average of 56 per cent.

The rate of overweight or obesity among 15-year-olds is 20 per cent, marginally lower than the EU average of 21 per cent.

The rate of consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks among this age group is 8 per cent. This is also lower than the EU average of 14 per cent.

Elsewhere, the OECD reports that Ireland has the lowest rate of smoking amongst 15-year-olds in the EU at 7 per cent. Ireland is also among the lowest rates of cannabis smoking at 4 per cent.

The proportion of Irish 15-year-olds reporting repeated drunkenness is among the lowest in the EU at 13 per cent.

Ireland is among the top five EU countries regarding the proportion of 15-year-olds meeting recommended physical activity levels, with 42 per cent of Irish teens meeting the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation.

It is also one of just eight countries that achieved an HPV vaccination rate of more than 60 per cent for boys in 2023. Boys have been offered this vaccine since September 2019.

Colm Burke, Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy, stated that the report highlights "encouraging trends, particularly among younger age groups, which shows the positive impact of our efforts to support a healthier population".

"Ireland has long been a world leader in tackling smoking rates, and we continue to work towards the vision of a tobacco free Ireland, including raising the minimum age of sale of tobacco to 21," he said.

"We are also making progress in reducing alcohol-related harm, with several measures in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, 2018 designed to protect children.

"Budget 2025 also provides for the delivery of evidence-based drug prevention programmes aimed at deterring young people from engaging in harmful behaviours.

"In terms of nutrition and physical activity, it’s very positive to see that Ireland outperforms the majority of EU countries, but we cannot be complacent.

"Work continues on initiatives that will enable the creation of a healthier food environment, including a new Safefood campaign.

"In addition, 2024 saw significant investment in projects to support increased physical activity across all ages, including the Active School Flag programme, Parkrun and upgrades to outdoor swimming facilities and walking tracks. Our focus in 2025 will be to build on this work, guided by the soon to be published National Physical Activity Framework.

"I’m also heartened by the continuing high rates of vaccination for HPV. We are privileged in this country to have access to safe and effective vaccines, and I encourage people to take the opportunity to protect themselves by taking the vaccines they are offered."

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