Research Article

Session 1: Public health nutrition Nutrition and social disadvantage in Ireland

Symposium on ‘The challenge of translating nutrition research into public health nutrition’

on 18–20 June 2008, A Meeting of the Nutrition Society, was held at the O'Reilly Hall, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, hosted by the Irish Section.

Cecily C. Kelleher^a1a2 c1, Juzer Lotya^a1, Mary-Clare O'Hara^a1 and Celine Murrin^a1

^a1 National Nutrition Surveillance Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland

^a2 Health Research Board Centre for Health and Diet Research, UCD School of Public Health and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland

Abstract

There is now considerable evidence from several data sources, including the National Surveys of Lifestyles, Attitudes and Nutrition, that dietary patterns vary according to social position in the Republic of Ireland and those individuals in situations of social disadvantage experience barriers to consuming a healthy diet according to recommended guidelines. Obesity is a major impending public health problem related in part to social position that requires concerted inter-sectoral policy action. The Life-ways Cross-generation Cohort Study of >1000 Irish families has been followed prospectively since antenatal recruitment in 2001. Published findings to date indicate considerable social variability in food consumption and BMI patterns during pregnancy in the case of the maternal cohort. The present paper reports nutrient intake across the four family cohorts related to a key variable of interest, means-tested General Medical Services eligibility.

Key Words:

• Life-course;
• Nutrients;
• Pregnancy

Correspondence:

^c1 Corresponding author: Professor Cecily Kelleher, fax +3531 7162045, email cecily.kelleher@ucd.ie