Socioeconomic status and obesity in adult populations of developing countries: a review

This article, published by the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, reviews studies conducted between 1989 and 2003 that examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity in developing countries. It finds that obesity in developing countries does not only affect people with higher SES. Instead, the burden of obesity tends to shift towards the groups with lower SES as countries’ gross national product increases. The paper suggests reasons for the inverse relationship between SES and obesity. These include: lower levels of education and health related knowledge among the poor; a greater difficulty in acquiring more expensive foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole green cereals; and fewer opportunities for recreational exercise.

The paper concludes that levels of obesity in developing countries are currently high and rapidly increasing. The authors recommend that obesity prevention should be included as a relevant topic on the public health agenda in developing countries and that all social classes should have improved access to reliable information on the determinants and consequences of obesity. Also, they note that political will is needed by national governments to implement measures that enable all people to make healthier choices concerning diet and physical activity.