An ecological study of obesity and income inequality

by Kate E Pickett, Shona Wilkinson, Eric Brunner, Tim Lobstein and Richard G Wilkinson

Read the Study

Abstract


Objectives: To see if obesity, deaths from diabetes, and daily calorie intake are associated with income inequality among developed countries.
Design: Ecological study of 21 developed countries.
Countries: Countries were eligible for inclusion if they were among the top 50 countries with the highestgross national income per capita by purchasing power parity in 2002, had a population over 3 million,and had available data on income inequality and outcome measures.
Main outcome measures: Percentage of obese (body mass index .30) adult men and women, diabetes mortality rates, and calorie consumption per capita per day.
Results: Adjusting for gross national per capita income, income inequality was positively correlated withthe percentage of obese men (r = 0.48, p = 0.03), the percentage of obese women (r = 0.62, p = 0.003),diabetes mortality rates per 1 million people (r = 0.46, p = 0.04), and average calories per capita per day (r = 0.50, p = 0.02). Correlations were stronger if analyses were weighted for population size. The effect ofincome inequality on female obesity was independent of average calorie intake.
Conclusions: Obesity, diabetes mortality, and calorie consumption were associated with income inequalityin developed countries. Increased nutritional problems may be a consequence of the psychosocial impactof living in a more hierarchical society

Reference

J. Epidemiol. Community Health 2005;59;670-674
doi:10.1136/jech.2004.028795

Updated information and services can be found at: 
http://jech.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/59/8/670