Socioeconomic inequalities in
children’s weight reversed in the
UK between 1953 and 2015
S
ince the post-war period,
socioeconomic inequalities
in children’s weight have
reversed in the UK – with
disadvantaged children originally
being more likely to be thinner than
more advantaged children, but now
typically being more likely to be
overweight or obese, according to
an observational study.
Previously, studies of this kind
have analysed trends in body mass
index (BMI), but not height and
weight separately; this study is the
first to disentangle the changes
behind increasing BMI inequalities
over time.
Between 1953 to 2015, the difference
in children’s BMI levels between the
most and the least disadvantaged
children has expanded, however, the
difference in children’s height has
narrowed, and fewer disadvantaged
children are now of short stature.
Authors of the study, published in
the Lancet Public Health Journal,
say that these trends highlight
the powerful influence that the
obesogenic environment has had on
socioeconomically
disadvantaged
children, with and the failure
of decades of previous policies
to prevent obesity and related
socioeconomic inequalities.
“Our findings illustrate a need for
new effective policies to reduce
obesity and its socioeconomic
inequality in children in UK –
previous policies have not been
adequate, and existing policies
are unlikely to be either. Without
effective interventions, childhood
BMI inequalities are likely to widen
further
throughout
adulthood,
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Volume 3 | Issue 3 | July-September 2018
leading to decades of adverse health
and
economic
consequences,”
says the lead author Dr. David Bann,
UCL, UK.
“Our results illustrate a need for
strong additional legislative changes
that focus on societal factors and
the food industry, rather than
individuals or families. Bold action
is needed, such as creating further
incentives for food manufacturers to
reduce sugar and fat content in food
and drinks, reduce the advertising
of unhealthy foods to children and
families, and incentivise the sale
of healthier alternatives. The Soft
Drinks Industrial Levy is a positive
but likely very limited step in the
right direction”
The study included data for children
born in England, Scotland and Wales
from four longitudinal birth cohort
studies beginning in 1946, 1958,
1970 and 2001. In the paper, 22,500
children were assessed at the age of
7 years, 34,873 were assessed at the
age of 11, and 26,128 were assessed
at the age of 15.
At the ages of 7, 11 and 15 years,
the children’s height and weight
were measured, and BMI was
calculated. The child’s father’s
occupation was used as a marker
of their socioeconomic position,
and the association between
socioeconomic position and weight
was also analysed from childhood
and adolescence.
On average, the 2001 cohort was
taller, heavier and had a higher BMI
than the earlier born cohorts.
In all cohorts, the most disadvantaged
children tended to be shorter than
the least disadvantaged children.
However, the difference narrowed over
time – with the most disadvantaged
7-year olds being 3.9cm shorter than
the least disadvantaged children in the
1946 cohort, whereas the difference
in children in the 2001 cohort was
1.2cm.