The lower our socioeconomic position – our education level, occupational status, income, or the affluence of the neighbourhood in which we live - the worse our health and the more likely we are to die prematurely. However, arguably the most important determinant of whether we lead a “healthy long life” is where we sit on the social scale within our society. Given the disproportionate burden of ill health carried by people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage, all our nutrition and physical activity interventions, programs and policies should be designed to reach and positively impact these individuals at greatest need.Įating a healthy diet, being regularly physically active, and not being too sedentary, are important actions that help to promote health, quality of life, functionality and longevity (e.g., ). However, successful examples demonstrate that overcoming such challenges is possible, and provide guidance for doing so. SummaryĪddressing socioeconomic inequities in eating, physical activity and sedentary behaviours is challenging. There are successful models for doing so from which we can learn. This debate piece argues that behavioural scientists can play an important role in addressing socioeconomic inequities in nutrition, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, and that this will involve challenging myths and taking on new perspectives. ![]() With increasing recognition of the role of underlying structural and societal factors as determinants of nutrition and physical activity behaviours and inequities in these behaviours, and the limited success of behaviour change approaches in addressing these inequities, we might wonder whether there remains a role for behavioural scientists to tackle these challenges. People experiencing disadvantage face multiple challenges to healthy behaviours that can appear insurmountable. Yet there remains a dearth of evidence of the most effective means of addressing these inequities. They are concerning in that they mirror socioeconomic inequities in obesity and in health outcomes. ![]() These socioeconomic inequities in nutrition and physical activity (and some sedentary) behaviours are graded, persistent, and evident across multiple populations and studies. In developed countries, individuals experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage – whether a low education level, low income, low-status occupation, or living in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood – are less likely than those more advantaged to engage in eating and physical activity behaviours conducive to optimal health.
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