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The Socioeconomic Gradient of Obesity in Ireland

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  • David Madden

    (University College Dublin)

Abstract

Using the nationally representative Slan dataset we calculate concentration indices for the incidence of obesity for men and women. We finder higher concentration indices for women than for men, but we also find that concentration indices fell between 2002 and 2007. However this appears to be owing to an increased incidence of obesity amongst better off people rather than decreased obesity amongst the less well-off. A decomposition of the concentration indices suggest that the greatest contribution to the gradient comes from the combination of lower rates of obesity amongst those with 3rd level education and their higher income.

Suggested Citation

  • David Madden, 2010. "The Socioeconomic Gradient of Obesity in Ireland," Working Papers 201047, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucd:wpaper:201047
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David Madden, 2015. "The Poverty Effects Of A ‘Fat‐Tax’ In Ireland," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(1), pages 104-121, January.
    2. McGovern, Mark E., 2014. "Comparing the relationship between stature and later life health in six low and middle income countries," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 4(C), pages 128-148.
    3. Rita Smith & Kate Frazer & Abbey Hyde & Laserina O'Connor & Patricia Davidson, 2018. "“Heart disease never entered my head”: Women's understanding of coronary heart disease risk factors," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(21-22), pages 3953-3967, November.
    4. Karina Acosta, 2012. "La obesidad y su concentración según nivel socioeconómico en Colombia," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario, July.
    5. Madden, D., 2016. "Child and Adolescent Obesity in Ireland: A Longitudinal Perspective," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 16/12, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    6. Walsh, Brendan & Cullinan, John, 2015. "Decomposing socioeconomic inequalities in childhood obesity: Evidence from Ireland," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 16(C), pages 60-72.
    7. Hossein Zare & Danielle D. Gaskin & Roland J. Thorpe, 2021. "Income Inequality and Obesity among US Adults 1999–2016: Does Sex Matter?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-13, July.
    8. Mohammad Hajizadeh & M. Karen Campbell & Sisira Sarma, 2014. "Socioeconomic inequalities in adult obesity risk in Canada: trends and decomposition analyses," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(2), pages 203-221, March.
    9. David Madden, 2014. "The Socio-economic Gradient of Obesity in Ireland – Corrigendum," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 45(3), pages 451-454.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Obesity; Body Mass Index; Concentration Index; decomposition.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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