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Are socio-economic inequalities in diet and physical activity a matter of social distinction? A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES:To explore whether 'distinction', a well-known mechanism that produces and reproduces social inequalities, can explain the socio-economic gradient in healthy diet and physical activity in contemporary obesogenic environments. If this is the case, we would expect a well-established indicator of distinction, 'highbrow' cultural participation, to be associated with a healthy diet and physical activity, while adjusting for education and income. METHODS:Data from participants (25-75 years) of the 2014 wave of the Dutch GLOBE study (N = 2812) were used to analyse the association between 'highbrow' cultural participation (e.g. annual frequency of visits to museums, ballet, concerts, theatre) and sports participation, leisure-time walking and cycling, and fruit and vegetable intake, adjusted for education, income and other confounders. RESULTS:Both highbrow cultural participation and healthy behaviours were more prevalent among high educational groups. Cultural participation was strongly associated with all health behaviours, even when adjusted for education and income. CONCLUSIONS:Our findings suggest that health behaviours, similar to highbrow cultural participation, are adopted as an expression of social distinction. This distinction mechanism may be an important determinant of health behaviour inequalities.

SUBMITTER: Oude Groeniger J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6677869 | biostudies-other | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Are socio-economic inequalities in diet and physical activity a matter of social distinction? A cross-sectional study.

Oude Groeniger Joost J Kamphuis Carlijn B M CBM Mackenbach Johan P JP Beenackers Mariëlle A MA van Lenthe Frank J FJ

International journal of public health 20190611 7

<h4>Objectives</h4>To explore whether 'distinction', a well-known mechanism that produces and reproduces social inequalities, can explain the socio-economic gradient in healthy diet and physical activity in contemporary obesogenic environments. If this is the case, we would expect a well-established indicator of distinction, 'highbrow' cultural participation, to be associated with a healthy diet and physical activity, while adjusting for education and income.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from participant ...[more]

PMID: 31187165

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Project description:OBJECTIVE:We examined whether the role of maternal education in children's unhealthy snacking diet is moderated by other socio-economic indicators. METHODS:Participants were selected from the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development cohort, a large ongoing community-based birth cohort. Validated Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) (n = 2782) were filled in by mothers of children aged 5.7±0.5yrs. Based on these FFQs, a snacking dietary pattern was derived using Principal Component Analysis. Socio-economic indicators were: maternal and paternal education (low, middle, high; based on the highest education completed) household finance (low, high; based on ability to save money) and neighbourhood SES (composite score including educational level, household income and employment status of residents per postal code). Cross-sectional multivariable linear regression analysis was used to assess the association and possible moderation of maternal education and other socio-economic indicators on the snacking pattern score. Analyses were adjusted for children's age, sex and ethnicity. RESULTS:Low maternal education (B 0.95, 95% CI 0.83;1.06), low paternal education (B 0.36, 95% CI 0.20;0.52), lower household finance (B 0.18, 95% CI 0.11;0.26) and neighbourhood SES (B -0.09, 95% CI -0.11;-0.06) were independently associated with higher snacking pattern scores (p<0.001). The association between maternal education and the snacking pattern score was somewhat moderated by household finance (p = 0.089) but remained strong. Children from middle-high educated mothers (B 0.44, 95% CI 0.35;0.52) had higher snacking pattern scores when household finance was low (B 0.49, 95% CI 0.33;0.65). CONCLUSIONS:All socio-economic indicators were associated with increased risk of unhealthy dietary patterns in young children, with low maternal education conferring the highest risk. Yet, within the group of middle-high educated mothers, lower household finance was an extra risk factor for unhealthy dietary patterns. Intervention strategies should therefore focus on lower educated mothers and middle-high educated mothers with insufficient levels of household finance.

Project description:BackgroundChanging family models have resulted in a large increase in the number of single-person households. This phenomenon has certain implications for society and the economy as single people often exhibit different behaviours, including their engagement in health-related physical activity, than those who are married and living with partners. However, the results of studies on determinants of physical activity in people of different marital status have been inconclusive. The aim of this study was to identify associations between physical activity and socioeconomic status in single and married urban adults.MethodsThe study material consisted of 4,460 persons (1,828 single and 2,632 married and living with partners). A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wroclaw (Poland). A diagnostic survey-direct interview method was used. Two research tools were applied: the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Socioeconomic Status Questionnaire (S-ESQ). The level of respondents' physical activity was assessed following WHO recommendations. The descriptive statistics included the number and frequency of categories of dependent and independent variables as well as measures of association between them, i.e., crude and adjusted odds ratios.ResultsThe odds ratio of meeting the WHO physical activity recommendations was almost 70% higher in single than in married respondents (OR = 1.67; CI [1.46-2.19]), and slightly more than 40% higher after adjusting for sex, age and education (aOR = 1.42; CI [1.21-1.67]). In both groups socioeconomic the respondents' status revealed a significant and slightly different association with their levels of physical activity. Occupational status and financial savings significantly affected the level of physical activity in single respondents, while net disposable income was a significant modifier of physical activity levels in respondents who were married or lived with their partners.ConclusionsAssessment of the levels and determinants of physical activity among people of different marital status should be continued and extended to other subpopulations. This will allow effective preventive and therapeutic measures to be taken for groups most at risk of hypokinesia. Programs aimed at improving physical activity accounting for the socioeconomic status and marital status of their beneficiaries are particularly important.

Project description:ObjectiveThis paper identifies varying contemporary and dynamic effects of socio-economic factors on individuals' decisions to allocate their time to physical activities when the intensity of these activities comes into play.MethodsBased on repeated cross-sectional data sourced from the Argentinean National Risk Factor Surveys of 2005, 2009, and 2013, we developed 18 fictitious cohorts to set up a pseudo panel. To address endogeneity problems, four econometric specifications were estimated: OLS, Heckman two-stage model, fixed- and random-effects models.ResultsWe find that changes in the opportunity cost of time are highly significant and provide shifts in individuals' decisions regarding the allocation of their time to physical activity consumption. When considering the intensity at which physical activities are consumed, increased income impacts less, suggesting that individuals faced with a wage increase reduce the time of consumption but increase its intensity. An interesting finding is that employed people consume more physical activity than inactive individuals. This indicates that the substitution effect produced by an increase in the wage rate is less than the income effect. Additionally, the increase in the coefficient of employed persons is greater when the intensity factor is considered, indicating that for employed individuals a trade-off between time and intensity is generated. We also found that higher levels of education increase the probability of participating in physical activities, but decrease the time spent in such activities. Furthermore, there are heterogeneous impacts on physical activity consumption between males and females, which can be observed in the strong effect of household production for women with at least one child. Finally, such impacts remain in a variety of estimated specifications.ConclusionsThese results may be useful in order to suggest some tools for the design of interventions that are aimed at increasing participation in physical activities.

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Are socio-economic inequalities in diet and physical activity a matter of social distinction? A cross-sectional study.

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Are socio-economic inequalities in diet and physical activity a matter of social distinction? A cross-sectional study.

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