Lunch hour a lonely time for many school kids: Study

Published Sep 22, 2024  •  1 minute read

Cheestrings packing will have the Kids Help Phone number on its packaging this fall to help any students who may be struggling at school. Photo by Cheestrings

Nearly half of Canadian school kids experience social challenges at lunchtime, according to a new study.

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According to Canadian parents, 68% of children experienced social challenges at school, with 49% stating lunch hour is the toughest time of day.

The survey, by Lactalis Canada’s Cheestrings, also found 46% of children are feeling less happy about the return to school, with 77% of them saying it’s linked to how they get along with classmates and friends.

“Back to school can be a difficult time for children, especially during lunchtime,” Elyse Horrigan, of Cheestrings-Ficello, said in a statement.

The survey also found more than half of parents have observed their child struggling with feelings of loneliness, shyness, or anxiety at school; 54% say children express discomfort or distress; and 44% say their child is aware of classmates facing similar challenges.

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Cheestrings and Kids Help Phone (KHP) are launching the No Lonely Lunches campaign through the fall. The Cheestrings logo will be replaced on Cheestrings product wrappers with the free KHP mental health service number.

“Peer relationships and isolation are some of the top issues young people are reaching to KHP about,” said Jenny Yuen, of Kids Help Phone, in a statement.

Conducted by Fuse Insights in August 2024, the results of the survey were taken from a national poll of 509 Canadian parents of children, ages 8-17, with a probability-based sample of this size having a margin of error of 4%, 19 times out of 20.

The number for Kids Help Phone is 1-800-668-6868.

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