Obesity, SES, and economic development: a test of the reversal hypothesis.

ABSTRACT: Studies of individual countries suggest that socioeconomic status (SES) and weight are positively associated in lower-income countries but negatively associated in higher-income countries. However, this reversal in the direction of the SES-weight relationship and arguments about the underlying causes of the reversal need to be tested with comparable data for a large and diverse set of nations. This study systematically tests the reversal hypothesis using individual- and aggregate-level data for 67 nations representing all regions of the world. In support of the hypothesis, we find not only that the body mass index, being overweight, and being obese rise with national product but also that the associations of SES with these outcomes shift from positive to negative. These findings fit argume

SUBMITTER: Pampel FC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3298576 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature