New research has revealed one in seven secondary school pupils go without lunch on a typical day.

A study conducted by the Schools Health Education Unit (SHEU, UK) questioned more than 83,000 ten to 15-year-olds on what they eat for breakfast and lunch, the Irish Independent reports.

Some ten per cent of Year Eight boys claimed to go without a meal during the middle of the day, while 18 per cent of Year Ten girls said they skipped lunch.

School Food Trust spokeswoman Claire Rick commented: "Skipping lunch doesn't just leave pupils feeling hungry and tired - it really does affect their performance in the classroom."

Following a recent article in the Irish Independent that discussed the idea of introducing school meals, a School Days blog post looked at the benefits that could be seen by such a move.

It was noted that an overhaul of the current system in Ireland may be long overdue and a campaign to improve the nutritional value of school dinners, such as that led by Jamie Oliver, should be welcomed.

Written by Donal Walsh

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