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Socioeconomic status and weight change in adults: a review
journal contribution
posted on 2005-01-01, 00:00 authored by Kylie BallKylie Ball, David CrawfordDavid CrawfordIn developed countries, obesity is inversely associated with socioeconomic status (SES) among women, and less consistently among men; whereas, in developing countries, the association is direct. However, the relationship of SES to weight change over time is unknown. This relationship was the focus of the present literature review. It was hypothesized that, compared with persons of higher SES, persons of low SES would show greater weight gain or risk of weight gain over time. A search of electronic databases identified 34 relevant articles from developed countries reporting on studies that assessed the relationship of various measures of SES with weight change over time in adults (there were too few papers from developing countries (n=1) to include). Results of the methodologically strongest studies (those which obtained objectively measured adiposity data and used a follow-up period of 4 years or more) showed that, among non-black samples, there were relatively consistent inverse associations between occupation and weight gain for men and women. When SES was assessed using education, evidence was slightly less consistent, but still provided some support for the hypothesized relationship. However, when income was used as the indicator of SES, findings were inconsistent, although there were fewer studies available. There was little support for a relationship between SES and weight gain for black samples. In the context of the worldwide epidemic of obesity, these findings suggest that in developed countries, weight gain prevention efforts might best be focused on those who are most socioeconomically disadvantaged, particularly those in lower status occupations.
History
Journal
Social science & medicineVolume
60Pagination
1987 - 2010Publisher
PergamonLocation
Oxford, EnglandPublisher DOI
ISSN
0277-9536eISSN
1873-5347Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2010, ElsevierUsage metrics
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Keywords
socioeconomic statusobesityweight changereviewdeveloped countriesScience & TechnologySocial SciencesLife Sciences & BiomedicinePublic, Environmental & Occupational HealthSocial Sciences, BiomedicalBiomedical Social Sciencesobesity weight changeBODY-MASS INDEXHEALTHY WORKER PROJECTTIME PHYSICAL-ACTIVITYSMOKING-CESSATIONMARITAL-STATUSUNITED-STATESYOUNG-ADULTSRISK-FACTORSLIFE-STYLEUS ADULTSEconomics
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