Socioeconomic Aspects of Obesity

The social gradient regarding overweight and obesity prevalence is evident across all age groups, with this gradient being more pronounced in women than in men. This chapter describes, using a specially developed model, how adipogenic environments, material deprivation, health literacy, psychosocial stressors and resources, genetic, pre- and perinatal factors affect energy intake and expenditure. Energy intake and expenditure determine overweight and obesity. Both, in turn, can also influence the socioeconomic status of those affected and their offspring in terms of a selection effect. We note the necessity of interdisciplinary consideration of the multifactorial events as well as concerted interventions at the micro and macro level to curb socioeconomic differences in obesity prevalence.