Low Socioeconomic Status Report

Over 60 million people are obese in the world today. The socioeconomic statuses of the Americans play a major part in the obesity rates across the country. People with higher incomes are less likely to be obese than people with lower incomes. One in every seven preschool-aged children living in lower income areas are obese (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). A 2008 study showed that obesity is highest among American Indian and Alaska Native (21.2 percent) and Hispanic Americans (18.5 percent) children, and it is lowest

According to Wall Street Journal, “More than 33% of adults who earn less than $15,000 per year were obese, compared with 24.6% of those who earn at least $50,000 per year.” (Izzo 2011) Processed foods such as cheeseburger or French fries tend to be cheaper than buying healthier ingredients and making home cooked food. When people have lower incomes, they do suffer from food insecurity, which is an important connection between poverty and obesity. Two reasons can contribute to obesity: parents are working and are no longer at home with their children and therefore not able to cook balanced meals; and foods with high fat are cheaper than healthy foods.

To begin this paper discusses what obesity is and how it is measured, determined and classified in children and why it is considered an epidemic. Then, provides examples of parental influences, including prenatal and postnatal care; followed by market failure and environmental influences. Next, this paper addresses risk factors of high-poverty neighborhoods including ethnicity, race and socioeconomic statistics. Lastly, the paper concludes with interventions and groups that address childhood obesity, social work role and future predictions.

First, I will talk about how poverty influences unhealthy eating habits that lead to obesity, then I will discuss how the lack of physical activity increases your chances for obesity, and finally how genetics play a big role in obesity.

Obesity during childhood is associated with increased risk of obesity, premature death and disability in later life and drives to the growth of type 2 diabetes (WHO, 2015; Singh et al, 2008). Life course approach is easily understandable in the context of obesity, since obesity is connected with many macro and micro level factors which come and play during a person’s lifespan i.e. in each critical period. (Prenatal to old age). Each of those factors depend by the life stage and major transition points of the life trajectory (Musingarimi, 2008). Micro level factors are poor nutrients to mother during pregnancy, low income of the family, no or lack of breastmilk from mother during infancy and childhood, energy dense food consumption, sedentary lifestyle, gender, ethnicity, socio economic status whereas macro level factors are food insecurity, low income, company policies (minimum wage), inability to access health services, lack of government support, lack of policies to promote nutritious foods. Each of these factors are interconnected and drives to the development of an obese person by certain

Research has shown an ethnic and racial disparity in the frequency of childhood overweight and obesity. Specifically, minority children face a disproportionately higher chance of obesity; Taveras, Gillman, Kleinman, Rich-Edwards, and Rifas-Shiman agree: “…many risk factors for child obesity are more prevalent among black and Hispanic children than among white children (p. 693). ” They go on to write that additional variables affecting those two minority groups include belonging to a lower socioeconomic class, sleeping less than their white counterparts, and a greater likelihood of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food after age two .

According to the media article, Whose Fault is our Fat? Obesity solely stems from Americans not participating in enough physical activity. On the other hand, Family Stressors and Child Obesity, attributes the stem of childhood obesity to stressors, particularly family stressors. Another possible explanation for obesity, other than Americans not getting enough physical activity or stressors, comes from the movie, watched in lecture, The Weight of the Nation. This movie makes the connection of rates of obesity to living in poverty areas. The movie also firmly believes that Americans are turning to quick, processed, and readily made meals, instead of healthy food options.

The social gradient is a compelling SHD impacting on childhood obesity. In particular, poor social and economic situations can chiefly impact on a child 's health.

Why is it Sociological & Social? Obesity has become a large and dark reality in United States. For someone who does not have sociological imagination being overweight is the result of bad personal choices or genetic predisposition. (Crosnoe) Cultural beliefs and practices related to food and feeding vary among ethnic groups, and these differences may contribute to different patterns of obesity in children and youth, related to their ethnicity. As described in the epidemiological overview show higher than average obesity prevalence in non-Hispanic, black and Mexican American children compared to non-Hispanic white children at most ages. In boys excess obesity ages 2 through 11 compared to girls ages 6 through 19. (Kumanyika 61-70)

Poor parents are less likely to monitor their children's diet, diet patterns and physical activity due to stress and time constraints if they work. Parents who work full-time are less able to monitor their children due to a decrease in maternal presence and availability during the day. Studies shows that poor people who move out of low-income housing into better neighborhoods are much less likely to have diabetes or be obese than people who stay behind in poor neighborhoods. Studies suggests that not only the financial burned of poverty contributes to obesity but the surroundings or type of area that an individual lives in adds to the complication. (Committee on Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity. National academic Press. ) (2005) Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: Focus on Schools. Retrieved from the National academic Press, http://site.ebrary.com/lib/devry/Doc?id=10115249&ppg=11

healthy food and exercise are often at the bottom for the list, but in fact are

Does low socioeconomic status bear a significant role in the obesity epidemic? A national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) estimated that more than two-thirds of Americans are now overweight or obese (body mass index of over 30), and the percentage is escalating. The Census Bureau (2011) reported 46.2 million people in America are currently living beneath the official poverty line. The official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent; up from 14.3 percent in 2009; this was the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate (Census Bureau, 2011). One might assume that obesity and poverty are not associated, but this is not accurate. The correlation between poverty and obesity can be

The lack of adequate health care for those of lower socioeconomic status contributes to the problem of obesity. One study done in Europe found that obesity, which disproportionately affected people with lower social status, was not only linked to cardiovascular disease but also to mortality rate (Mackenbach et al 1997). These would seem obvious enough but the implications deal directly with the issue of health care availability. The higher rate of mortality cannot be explained by the increase in risk. The authors of this study concluded that lack of health care was the true determining factor for mortality. People don't necessarily die from cardiovascular disease especially if one has the money and opportunity to receive quality health care. It is much easier for those with money to receive quality treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. In the US many poor families don't have access to regular

Income inequality also causes obesity however; we mostly blame individuals for being obese. Being obese can have a serious impact on mental and physical health. it is an illness that is associated with stereotypes. The biggest one is “if poor people become obese they cannot be not poor”. People in this mentality also exclude the structural and social conditions that cause illnesses such as obesity. Social life affects the health of people, especially the socioeconomic level. How much you earn monthly is a factor how fit you are. The risk of being an obese is lower for the wealthy individuals. Poor people are obese because they have no money to buy healthy food, they have no time to exercise, they have stress that causes them to eat constantly, they lack education, they do not have access to the healthcare, they do not have social support and so on. It is mostly about the income inequality.

The number of obese and overweight individuals throughout the world is rapidly growing. There are many factors that come into play when thinking why obesity has become such an epidemic lately. There is has been little research done in recent years about what factors are directly linked to one becoming obese. The purpose of this integrative review is to investigate recent literature on the socioeconomic factors that influence obesity in a community. This review will explain the research strategy utilized in obtaining articles that were relevant in looking at socioeconomic factors that influence obesity such as income, eduction level, resources available, and environment.