A new report from Unicef finds that 10% of British under-15s live in households that experience severe food insecurity -- which means they sometimes go hungry, have to skip meals and have parents or carers who worry about being able to provide food.
The study employed a widely used measure that asks respondents to report their experiences of food access and hunger. Across the 152 countries and territories surveyed, 41% of children under 15 were found to live with a respondent who reported moderate or severe food insecurity, and 19% lived with a respondent who was severely food insecure. In the UK, 19% of children under 15 live with a respondent who is moderately or severely food insecure, and 10% live with a respondent who is severely food insecure.
In a separate report, Unicef combined this data with data on rates of childhood overweight & obesity. According to this indicator, the UK is the eighth worst performing of 41 economically developed nations.
Find the Unicef reports here, or read a summary on the Food Foundation website here. The Sustain alliance campaigns for fairer, greener and healthier food systems. Find out more about our work on children's diets here.
Published Friday 16 June 2017
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
