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Hunger · Europe & Central Asia

Hunger and malnutrition in Ireland

2.2%of children under five stunted (2011)Very low

Under 2.5% of people in Ireland go without enough food. 2.2% of young children are too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition, and 0.4% are dangerously thin.

under 2.5%undernourished (2024, FAO)
6.2%moderately or severely food insecure (2024)
2.2%children under 5 stunted (2011)
0.4%children under 5 wasted (2011)
0.5%children under 5 underweight (2011)
11%children under 5 overweight (2011)
14%children 6-59 months anaemic (2019, WHO)
4 per 1,000children who die before age five (2024)

How Ireland compares

In Europe & Central Asia it is 22nd of 32.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are hungry in Ireland?

Under 2.5% of people in Ireland are undernourished (2024), FAO's lowest band, so hunger in the sense of too few calories is rare.

What percentage of children are stunted in Ireland?

2.2% of children under five in Ireland were stunted in 2011, which WHO rates very low. 0.4% were wasted (2011).

Sources: FAO (undernourishment, food insecurity), UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Malnutrition Estimates (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight), WHO (anaemia) and UN IGME (child deaths), as published by the World Bank.

Hunger in other countries of Europe & Central Asia

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