Fifteen-year-olds in Ireland are in an advantageous position compared to the rest of the EU when it comes to low levels of smoking and alcohol consumption, Belfast Telegraph reports.
A global report for 2024 found that young people in Ireland ranked fourth in the EU for regular vape use.
The OECD Health at a Glance report analyses health trends across the EU, including comparable data on the health of young people in Ireland.
The report emphasises that tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, poor diet, lack of physical activity and obesity account for a significant proportion of the overall burden of morbidity and mortality in the EU.
In 2021, around 1.1 million deaths in the EU, almost 21% of all deaths, were attributable to the combined effects of smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and high body mass index.
The Health at a Glance report found that 15-year-olds in Ireland have the lowest rate of smoking, at 7 per cent, and one of the lowest rates of cannabis smoking, at 4 per cent, in the EU.
The proportion of 15-year-olds who have repeatedly reported binge drinking is one of the lowest in the EU at 13 per cent.
Ireland is also in the top five EU countries for the proportion of 15-year-olds meeting recommended levels of physical activity and is one of eight countries with HPV vaccination rates for boys above 60 per cent in 2023.
Sugar consumption
The report also highlights some areas of concern: almost half (47%) of 15-year-olds report not eating fruit or vegetables on a daily basis, although this is below the EU average of 56%.
The rate of overweight or obesity among 15-year-olds is 20 per cent, slightly below the EU average of 21 per cent.
The consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks among this age group is 8 per cent, which is below the EU average of 14 per cent.
The publication cites the impact of Ireland’s 2018 tax on sugar-sweetened drinks, which led to a reduction in sugar consumption from carbonated soft drinks from 5kg per person in 2018 to less than 4kg in 2022.
As for vaping, which the report says is “a possible smoking cessation tool” but also suggests it “may lead to tobacco smoking, particularly among young people,” Ireland has the fourth highest proportion of young people who vape regularly.
According to 2022 data, more than 10 per cent of young people aged 15-24 and more than 5 per cent of all adults in Ireland said they regularly vape, compared to the EU average of 2.7 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively.
Public Health Minister Colm Burke said the report showed “encouraging trends,” particularly among younger age groups. He also added:
“Ireland has long been a world leader in tackling smoking rates, and we continue to work towards the vision of a tobacco free Ireland, including raising the minimum age of sale of tobacco to 21. We are also making progress in reducing alcohol-related harm, with several measures in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, 2018 designed to protect children.”
