The association between obesity and socioeconomic status has been known for years. A new study done by researchers at the University of Washington, and led by ACSH advisor Dr. Adam Drewnowski, lends further support to this link. The study was published in the International Journal of Obesity and used census tract (CT) data related to socioeconomic status from about 60,000 adults living in King County, Washington, which includes Seattle and environs. The specific parameters evaluated included value of owner-occupied housing, percent of residents with a college degree and median household incomes.
Study authors commented on the results: To our knowledge, this is the first report to show major social disparities in adult obesity prevalence at the CT scale that is based, moreover, on measured heights and weights. Analyses of data at sufficiently fine geographic scale are needed to guide targeted local interventions to stem the obesity epidemic.
ACSH s Dr. Ruth Kava noted The more information we have about which groups are most likely to be at risk of obesity, the better we can devise methods to reach them about the health risks involved.