Measuring Socioeconomic Inequality in Obesity: Looking Beyond the Obesity Threshold.

ABSTRACT: We combine two of the most widely used measures in the inequality and poverty literature, the concentration index and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke metric to the analysis of socioeconomic inequality in obesity. This enables us to describe socioeconomic inequality not only in obesity status but also in its depth and severity. We apply our method to 1971-2012 US data and show that while the socioeconomic inequality in obesity status has now almost disappeared, this is not the case when depth and severity of obesity are considered. Such socioeconomic gradient is found to be greatest among non-Hispanic whites, but decomposition analysis also reveals an inverse relationship between income and obesity outcomes among Mexican Americans once the effect of immigrant status has been accounted for. The socio

SUBMITTER: Bilger M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5516143 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature