More than 60% of adults overweight or obese but 70% consider themselves healthy

Irish people under 35 are the most likely to read nutritional information on food packaging, with 83% doing this compared to other age groups. Picture: World Obesity Federation

More than seven in 10 of us consider ourselves to be healthy, a new global study has found. 

That is despite more than 60% of the country being classed as overweight or obese, according to the HSE.

Irish people under 35 are the most likely to read nutritional information on food packaging, with 83% doing this compared to other age groups.

The survey, carried out by Red C Research as part of a global survey by the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN), found overall, 75% of consumers here always or sometimes read this information.

People aged between 18 and 35 are most aware of this, with 83% frequently reading this information, compared to 72% among older groups.

Women are more likely than men to check this, at 77% and 73% respectively.

Additionally, the survey found that people on lower incomes are less likely to check the nutritional value of food (70% do so) compared to those on high incomes (81%).

People living in Dublin are more likely to check this, at 80% of respondents, compared to between 72% and 73% in the rest of the country.

Among the 35 countries surveyed for the health part of this global study, some 78% of participants read this information sometimes or always.

Stress levels

The survey also asked the 1,015 adults in Ireland to rate their own stress levels, weight, general health, and fitness levels.

When asked to rate their own weight from “very good” to “very poor”, some 37% of people said they have concerns about their weight.

Only half of those aged 35 to 54 are happy with their weight, significantly below the global average.

Among the 62% who said their perception of their weight is very good or quite good, men (64%) were more likely to report this than women (61%).

The WIN survey was carried out between October and December 2022.

WIN International Association president Vilma Scarpino said the survey identified crucial differences between how various groups view their own health.

“As we continue to navigate the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, it is crucial that we address these disparities and provide support to those who may be most vulnerable to health risks,” she said.

HSE and other EU statistics show that in Ireland 60% of adults are obese or overweight. These studies also show men are more likely to be overweight than women, although levels of obesity are similar.

Some three quarters of Irish adults feel positive, the survey found.

Red C Research CEO Richard Colwell called for the findings to impact Government strategy.

“The Irish people appear to have dealt with adversity well, with positive mood and good health ratings reported this year, despite the covid pandemic, war in Ukraine, and the cost-of-living crisis,” he said.

He added, however: “The fact that we again see evidence of really high reported levels of stress among the younger population suggests more needs to be done by Government to better understand the stress the youth in Ireland are under and act to improve the situation." 

Some 76% of 1,015 participants in Ireland described their mood as positive; slightly above the European average of 75%.

However, the survey late last year found that among people aged 35 to 54 only 55% described their stress levels as very good or quite good.

Overall stress levels in Ireland are rated above the global norm, but levels differ greatly by age, with young adults giving quite poor ratings of stress below average, while those over 55 are much more positive and above the global average.

People in Connaught and Ulster are the least stressed, with 64% reporting very good or quite good levels. 

Globally, Paraguay and Pakistan had “the most positive levels of stress” among a global pool of 33,236 people.