Living in Dublin is bad for your health

You are more likely to be obese, taking drugs and drinking alcohol in the capital and your children are more likely to be smoking cannabis.

These are the findings of a study comprising two reports on Irish lifestyles and dietary habits carried out by research teams at NUI Galway.

The study found:

Cannabis use among schoolchildren in the greater Dublin area is significantly higher than all other parts of the country.

Almost half of all boys aged 15-17 in one division of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, as well as 27% of girls in the same age group, reported taking the drug in the past 12 months.

Around one in four of all boys aged 10-17 years in another part of the ERHA administrative area also admitted using cannabis, as well as 10% of all girls.

In comparison, just around 7% of schoolchildren in other health board areas have reported taking cannabis.

Among adults, cannabis use in Dublin is almost twice that of other regions with 16% in one ERHA smoking dope last year.

Use of ecstasy, which is largely confined to the 18-34 year age group, was also twice as high in the greater Dublin area as in the rest of the country.

Obesity among all adults and alcohol consumption among women was higher in the capital.

There are also significantly fewer non-drinkers in the ERHA region than other parts.

In all regions, more men than women are obese, although more women than men are on a diet.

The percentage of adults who are overweight has increased over the past five years to 42% of males and 27% of females.

Smoking rates have dropped steadily since 1998 across the country, particularly among young girls aged 15-17.

55% of the population consider themselves in excellent or reasonably good health.

Eight out of the 10 health board areas claimed less stress would be the most important factor in improving their overall health.