Study shows Celtic Tiger made us richer and fatter
From 1994 to 2004, when the Celtic Tiger was approaching its height, the average Irish household spent less on healthy foods like meat, eggs and fish and more on high-fat sweet and sugary foods.
Researchers at Teagasc’s Ashtown Research centre in Dublin used the latest statistics from the Central Statistics Office household budget survey to show the change in spending patterns. They found that expenditure on foods from the top of the internationally recognised food pyramid which places high fat, sweeter foods at the top of the pyramid, had increased significantly over that period.
“This is of concern because the public health advice is to use sparingly and limit consumption of these high-fat, high-sugar foods,” said Teagasc researcher Sinéad McCarthy, project leader.
“It has enormous health implications.”
The research funded by the Health Research Board, found a decrease in expenditure for meat, eggs and fish while there was little or no change for the other levels of the pyramid where basic foods are placed at the bottom of the structure.
“Despite widespread campaigns to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, expenditure on this category did not change significantly over the decade,” said Ms McCarthy. “Initial analysis found that the average weekly disposable income for the household nearly doubled from €583 in 1994 to €1,002 in 2004,” said researcher Pamela Murphy.
The study bears out other research which shows that Irish people are getting fatter.
A major study published by one of the country’s largest maternity hospitals published last month reveals that four out of 10 mothers are overweight.
The study was based on 5,824 mothers who attended the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital in Dublin last year.
A another study last year funded by Hibernian Aviva Health found that 61% of Irish men and 39% of women are overweight.
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