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Socioeconomic variation in the impact of obesity on health-related quality of life

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  • Minet Kinge, Jonas
  • Morris, Stephen

Abstract

There is evidence that obesity has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, little attention has been paid to variations in this impact between population groups. This study investigates the relationship between HRQL and obesity, and whether or not this relationship varies by socioeconomic status (SES). Data were taken from four rounds of the Health Survey for England (2003-2006; n = 33,716) for persons aged 16 and above. Banded total annual household income is regressed against a comprehensive set of SES indicators using interval regression. We use the equivalised predicted values from this model, categorised into quartiles, as our measure of SES. We regress EQ-5D scores against interactions between body mass index and SES categories. Obesity is negatively correlated with HRQL. The negative impact of obesity is greater in people from lower SES groups. Overweight and obese people in lower SES groups have lower HRQL than those of normal weight in the same SES group, and have lower HRQL than those in higher SES groups of the same weight. This trend is also observed after controlling for individual and household characteristics, although the statistical significance and magnitude of effects is diminished.

Suggested Citation

  • Minet Kinge, Jonas & Morris, Stephen, 2010. "Socioeconomic variation in the impact of obesity on health-related quality of life," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(10), pages 1864-1871, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:71:y:2010:i:10:p:1864-1871
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    1. Nathalie T Burkert & Éva Rásky & Franziska Großschädl & Johanna Muckenhuber & Wolfgang Freidl, 2013. "The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Health Parameters in Overweight and Obese Adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(6), pages 1-8, June.
    2. Kyusuk Chung & Jun Hyup Lee, 2012. "A decomposition of income-related inequality in EQ-5D: a South Korea study," International Journal of Public Policy, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(1/2/3), pages 53-68.
    3. Kinge, Jonas Minet, 2015. "Body mass index and employment status: a new look," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2015:3, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    4. Jonas Minet Kinge, 2017. "Waist circumference, body mass index, and employment outcomes," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 18(6), pages 787-799, July.
    5. Kinge, Jonas Minet & Morris, Stephen, 2014. "Variation in the relationship between BMI and survival by socioeconomic status in Great Britain," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 67-82.
    6. Kinge, Jonas Minet, 2016. "Waist circumference, body mass index and employment outcomes," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2016:4, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    7. Christina Hansen Edwards & Johan Håkon Bjørngaard & Jonas Minet Kinge, 2021. "The relationship between body mass index and income: Using genetic variants from HUNT as instrumental variables," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(8), pages 1933-1949, August.
    8. Agovino, Massimiliano & Crociata, Alessandro & Sacco, Pier Luigi, 2019. "Proximity effects in obesity rates in the US: A Spatial Markov Chains approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 301-311.
    9. Kinge, Jonas Minet & Morris, Stephan, 2015. "The impact of childhood obesity on health and health service use: an instrumental variable approach," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2015:2, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    10. Kinge, Jonas Minet, 2016. "Body mass index and employment status: A new look," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 117-125.

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