Socioeconomic Status and Obesity: A Review of the Literature
Abstract
A review of 144 published studies of the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity reveals a strong inverse relationship among women in developed societies. The relationship is inconsistent for men and children in developed societies. In developing societies, however, a strong direct relationship exists between SES and obesity among men, women, and children. A review of social attitudes toward obesity and thinness reveals values congruent with the distribution of obesity by SES in different societies. Several variables may mediate the influence of attitudes toward obesity and thinness among women in developed societies that result in the inverse relationship between SES and obesity. They include dietary restraint, physical activity, social mobility, and inheritance.
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The inverse relationship between SES and BMI exists.
“Given the inverse relationship between SES and BMI [101,102], obesity can also be viewed as a social phenomenon.”
From Food Addiction and Psychosocial Adversity: Biological Embedding, Contextual Factors, and Public Health Implications (2020) · cites this paper as [101]
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References 227 · Cited by 2,346
- Authors
- Sobal, J., & Stunkard, A. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
- ORCID
- Sobal, Jeffery
- Venue
- Psychological Bulletin
- Published
- 1989
- Volume
- 105
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 260-275
- ISSN
- 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1455
- OpenAlex
- W2125932725
- Cited by
- 2,346
- References
- 227
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 56 · 2020: 67 · 2019: 87 · 2018: 65 · 2017: 83 · 2016: 101 · 2015: 107 · 2014: 108 · 2013: 109 · 2012: 123
- FWCI
- 20.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Keywords
- socioeconomic status, obesity, gender differences, attitudes toward obesity, dietary restraint, physical activity, social mobility, heredity (biology), childhood obesity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Child, Developing Countries, Gender Identity, Humans, Obesity, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Factors
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