Kelly Boylen

Social Class and Obesity

Social class has always had an effect on a person’s weight. But in past years the trend of obesity and social class has reversed. Instead of the wealthy being heavier because they could afford more food now the lower social classes are more overweight than the upper class. This trend is occurring because in recent years, less nutritious food is cheaper than fresh, non-processed foods.

Article: Social Epidemiology of Overweight: A Substantive and Methodological Investigation

Link: p%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26Query%3Dsocial%2Bclass%2Band%2Bweight

Summary: This article was published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior in 1983. The goal of this article was to examine the relationship of social and cultural factors to obesity. Researchers surveyed El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico. As it turns out gender AND social class both contribute to obesity mainly among white women. Obesity decreased along with social class for this population. Social class had little effect on obesity for white men and Mexicans of both genders in 1983.


Article: The Relationship Between Weight and Career Payoffs Among Women

Link: http://library.cocc.edu:2087/view/08848971/ap020056/02a00060/0?currentResult=08848971%2bap020056%2b02a00060%2b0%2cFFFFFF01&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26Query%3Dsocial%2Bclass%2Band%2Bweight

Summary: The results of this data survey were that weight has an effect on women and career payoff. This is usually for male-dominated offices and jobs that require a lot of outside contact with other companies. But, income is most related to a woman’s weight at entry-level professional occupations. In conclusion, women who are at or below their ideal weight will have a greater career payoff and a higher income.

Article: Cumulative Disadvantage and Health: Long-Term Consequence of Obesity?

Link: http://library.cocc.edu:2087/view/00031224/ap050004/05a00040/0?currentResult=00031224%2bap050004%2b05a00040%2b0%2cF7FBFF&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FBasicResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26Query%3Dobesity

Summary: This article explains how obesity (especially in early life) is related to lower body disability after 45 years of age. These disabilities can significantly alter an obese persons way of life. It affects their ability to work and make money, causing significant financial trouble for them and their family. The life course of an obese person and a normal weight person are different in many ways including ability to make money and social class.


Article: Predictors of Adult Obesity

Link: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0887/is_10_20/ai_79957700

Summary: This article states the obesity is a prevalent disorder throughout the world. Also of research has been conducted on the subject and several factors can contribute to obesity. One of these factors is social class. Families in the studies were spit into several groups according to social class 1 being highest and 4 being the lowest. From 1966 on these families were followed for 31 years. Obesity rates were lowest in social classes 1 and 2 at one and 31 years and greatest in social classes 1 and 2 at birth. BMI, the waist-to-hip ratio, and the proportion of obese subjects were all inversely related to social class at 31 years

Article: Natural Food, Unnatural Prices

Link: http://www.alternet.org/story/31260/

Summary: A correspondent for a magazine decided to shop at a health food store called Whole Foods. Whole Foods profits 160 million per year and recently entered the Fortune 500. After looking at the prices of the “healthy foods” he put them to the “Wal-Mart Test”, meaning he found out if a full-time employee of Wal-Mart with two children could afford to shop at Whole Foods. The answer was no. It would cost nearly double to feed two children Whole Foods groceries rather than Wal-Mart groceries.