Irish Kids 'Happier And Healthier'

Children in the Republic of Ireland are happier and healthier than their counterparts in the UK, a new report has revealed.

The survey, co-authored by NUI Galway and conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, involved information from more than 20,000 children aged between 11-15.

The report, entitled Young People's Health in Great Britain and Ireland, looked at issues like health, symptoms, well-being, eating patterns, physical activity, substance use, family and peer relationships and school life.

The study found that Irish children were more likely than their UK counterparts to report high life satisfaction and were less likely to report feeling low or having poor body image.

Irish children were also more likely to engage in physical activity and were less likely to spend excessive time on computers or game consoles.

They were also most likely to live with both parents and in bigger households, to report that they were able to talk to their fathers about things that bother them and to spend time with friends after school.

However, the report did not collect data on sexual behaviour among Irish adolescents, over concerns that parents might object.

One of the report's authors, Dr Saoirse Nic Gabhainn of the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUI Galway, said: "These patterns uncovered illustrate how we compare with our nearest neighbours. This report goes into greater depth on these issues than we have ever had before, showing differences between boys and girls, age groups and children from different family backgrounds.

"It is important that we recognise the differences as well as the similarities between children in the UK and Ireland. This report suggests that it is important not just to borrow unquestioningly from UK policy and practice when we are trying to improve child health - but that we need to work out where we are similar and where we are not and be more selective in what we do."

(KMcA/BMcC)