Influence of Social Class on Obesity and Thinness in Children

Stunkard, Albert J.; D’Aquili, Eugene G.; Fox, Sonja; Filion, Ross D. L.

doi:10.1001/jama.1972.03200190023005

Cited by 135 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The reports about social class and obesity in children are inconsistent; some authors have shown more obesity in upper social classes (Garn, Clark andGuire 1975, Hammond 1955), while others have reported more obesity in lower social classes (Stunkard, D'Aquili, Fox and Fillion 1972, Whitelaw 1971, Wilkinson et al 1977. The relative risk of nine times more prevalence of obesity in girls aged six in lower social classes compared with those in upper social classes in the USA (Stunkard et al 1972) was not substantiated for children in the UK. In our analysis, children in social classes I and V exhibited the lower values of triceps skinfold.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

National Study of Health and Growth: Social and family factors and obesity in primary schoolchildren

Rona

Chinn

1982

Annals of Human Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The association of social and family factors with triceps skinfold and weight for height and age was assessed using multiple regression analyses for 5-11 year-old-children in England and Scotland. Parents' body build was the factor most consistently associated with the two proxy measures of obesity. Number of siblings in the family was inversely related to triceps skinfold thickness. Parents' body-build and number of siblings were more strongly related to our measures of obesity in the older age groups and in girls, whereas child's birth-weight was more associated with weight for height and triceps skinfold in the younger age groups. Father's social class and mother's education made almost no contribution to the variation of triceps skinfold and weight for height in children. The relative risk of obesity associated with any individual independent variables was less than or around two. We conclude that there is little scope for identifying the majority of children at risk of obesity in a characteristic social environment. However, the increase in the association between our measures of obesity in parents and older children provides a possible tool for the early detection of children who may become obese.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

National Study of Health and Growth: Social and family factors and obesity in primary schoolchildren

Rona

Chinn

1982

Annals of Human Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is well established that the socio‐economic position (SEP) of the parents influence child weight status, with higher prevalence of obesity in families with low SEP . Studies that use area markers such as education and income level in the area or deprivation index as a proxy for individual SEP have found the same relationship .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stable prevalence of obesity in Swedish schoolchildren from 2008 to 2013 but widening socio‐economic gap in girls

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A trend towards an inverse social gradient, first documented in the USA [1, 2], has since then spread to most populations in the Western world [3, 4] and thereafter also to the poorer countries [5]. Reasons for this are not fully understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Inequalities in Obesity Persist in the Nordic Region Despite Its Relative Affluence and Equity

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Social inequalities in overweight and obesity (OWOB) have persisted in the affluent and reputedly egalitarian Nordic countries. In this review we examine associations between socioeconomic position (SEP) and OWOB, and secular trends in such associations. Determinants and possible causes of the relations are discussed together with opportunities to cope with OWOB as a public health problem. The findings show a persisting inverse social gradient. An interaction between SEP and gender is noted for adults in Denmark, Finland and Iceland and for children in Sweden. There are overall tendencies for increased inequality, however no consistent trend for an increased social gradient in OWOB. Reasons that increased inequality does not unequivocally mirror in a steepened social gradient in obesity may include methodological questions as well as societal efforts to counteract obesity. Multi-level efforts are needed to prevent OWOB.

show abstract

Influence of Social Class on Obesity and Thinness in Children

Cited by 135 publications

References 16 publications

National Study of Health and Growth: Social and family factors and obesity in primary schoolchildren

National Study of Health and Growth: Social and family factors and obesity in primary schoolchildren

Stable prevalence of obesity in Swedish schoolchildren from 2008 to 2013 but widening socio‐economic gap in girls

Social Inequalities in Obesity Persist in the Nordic Region Despite Its Relative Affluence and Equity

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About