Socioeconomic Determinants Of Socio Economic Status

Socioeconomic Determinants Socio-economic status (SES) is a contributing factor to the development of obesity. Looking at the association between SES and obesity, obesity is inversely associated with socioeconomic status (SES) among women, but less consistent among men (McLaren, 2007). Lower-income communities are less likely to have access to grocery stores with a wide variety of fresh produce. Low-income neighborhoods also may have fewer playgrounds, pedestrian and bike-friendly streets, parks and recreational facilities, and other safe and affordable places to exercise, play and be active. Individuals living in low SES communities also have limited purchasing power making it difficult to buy nutrient dense foods (foods high in†¦show more content†¦Children are not forced to eat anything and able to choose what foods they want to consume (CDC, n.d.). This concept, though held in high regard in the Hispanic culture, is not often the means to living a healthy life. This ideology leads to the consumpt ion of energy dense foods, which can lead to obesity. Culture also influences an individual’s behavior. Hispanics are known to come for a collective culture where group activities dominate. Because of the emphasis on collectivity, harmony and cooperation among the group, it tends to be emphasized more than individual function and responsibility (Gudykunst, 1998). Therefore living in a neighborhood, which embraces this culture, individuals are less likely to isolate themselves by exercising or eating healthy food, if others are not participating in these behaviors. If individuals within that culture are sedentary, others will be more likely to follow. This shows individual’s culture does play a critical role in overall health. Environmental Determinants Environmental determinants, including social, physical and economic characteristics of neighborhoods do contribute to long-term effects of health. A study entitled â€Å"Built Environments and Obesity in Disadvantaged Populations† examined how the built environment is correlated to obesity or related health behaviors within one or more disadvantaged populations (Lovasi, Hutson, Guerra, Neckerman, 2009). The results showed local food environment to be an important