[Lifestyle] Unhealthy lifestyle only explains a small part of socioeconomic health inequity

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As per a new study, unhealthy lifestyles mediated a small proportion of the socioeconomic inequity in health in both US and UK adults and so healthy lifestyle promotion, although essential, alone might not substantially reduce the socioeconomic inequity in health

Unhealthy lifestyle only explains small part of socioeconomic health inequity(Shutterstock)
HEALTH
Unhealthy lifestyle only explains a small part of socioeconomic health inequity
As per a new study, unhealthy lifestyles mediated a small proportion of the socioeconomic inequity in health in both US and UK adults and so healthy lifestyle promotion, although essential, alone might not substantially reduce the socioeconomic inequity in health
ANI |
UPDATED ON APR 18, 2021 10:01 AM IST
A recent study on UK and US adults states that unhealthy lifestyles alone only explain a small proportion of the socioeconomic inequity in health.

This is the suggestion of a large study published in the BMJ.

The findings show that the poorest individuals with the least healthy lifestyle are 2.7 to 3.5 times more at risk of death than the most affluent people with the healthiest lifestyle.

While healthy lifestyles play an important role in reducing disease burden, the researchers warn that healthy lifestyle promotion alone "might not substantially reduce the socioeconomic inequity in health, and other measures tackling social determinants of health are warranted."

It is well known that disadvantaged socioeconomic status (the measure of a person's social and economic standing) and unhealthy lifestyles are linked to poor health.

Lifestyle factors are commonly viewed as mediators between socioeconomic status and health, but it's not clear to what extent healthy lifestyles might alleviate the socioeconomic inequities in health.