Reported consumption of takeaway food and its contribution to socioeconomic inequalities in body mass index

Dec 21, 2013Appetite

How eating takeaway food relates to social differences in body weight

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

The mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.1 kg/m² for men and 25.7 kg/m² for women.

Among men, socioeconomic position indicators did not show any association with BMI.
For women, those with lower educational attainment had higher BMI compared to their more educated counterparts.
Blue-collar female employees had greater BMI than white-collar employees.
The consumption of 'less healthy' takeaway food explained the BMI differences linked to education and occupation among women.
Household income was not associated with BMI in this population.

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The aim of this study was to examine whether takeaway food consumption mediated (explained) the association between socioeconomic position and body mass index (BMI). A postal-survey was conducted among 1500 randomly selected adults aged between 25 and 64years in Brisbane, Australia during 2009 (response rate 63.7%, N=903). BMI was calculated using self-reported weight and height. Participants reported usual takeaway food consumption, and these takeaway items were categorised into "healthy" and "less healthy" choices. Socioeconomic position was ascertained by education, household income, and occupation. The mean BMI was 27.1kg/m(2) for men and 25.7kg/m(2) for women. Among men, none of the socioeconomic measures were associated with BMI. In contrast, women with diploma/vocational education (β=2.12) and high school only (β=2.60), and those who were white-collar (β=1.55) and blue-collar employees (β=2.83) had significantly greater BMI compared with their more advantaged counterparts. However, household income was not associated with BMI. Among women, the consumption of "less healthy" takeaway food mediated BMI differences between the least and most educated, and between those employed in blue collar occupations and their higher status counterparts. Decreasing the consumption of "less healthy" takeaway options may reduce socioeconomic inequalities in overweight and obesity among women but not men.

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Reported consumption of takeaway food and its contribution to socioeconomic inequalities in body mass index

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