Today ( 6th February 2024) in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to do more in the fight against food poverty.
According to data from the Trussell Trust last year, 41% of households supported by food banks had children. And a staggering 43% of all distributed food parcels went to families with three or more children.
Commenting, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:
“We are facing a worsening food poverty crisis, with households with children across the country disproportionately vulnerable to food insecurities.
According to data from the Trussell Trust last year, 41% of households supported by food banks had children whilst 43% of all distributed food parcels went to families with three or more children.
The impacts of food insecurity on children are severe. Research clearly links poor childhood nutrition to increased obesity later in life with statistics from Public Health Wales showing that children in the most disadvantaged areas of Wales are 76% likelier to be obese.
Tackling this growing food insecurity crisis is critical, not only to protect our children’s health but also to prevent future pressure on the NHS.
The Welsh Labour government’s current approach lacks the foresight needed to combat this crisis.
We urgently need to develop a co-ordinated and evidence-based strategy to help us reduce food insecurity and improve childhood nutrition.
No child deserves to go hungry and every child with an empty plate is a stain on our record, we must do more.”
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