Childhood obesity linked to neighborhood social and economic status

Seattle—Children in King County, Washington, are more likely to be obese if they live in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. This is according to a team of researchers at Seattle Children's Research Institute, the University of Washington (UW), and Group Health Research Institute. Social Science & Medicine e-published the research this week in advance of printing it.

“Children are raised not only at home but also in their community." ~ lead author H. Mollie Greves Grow, MD MPH, assistant professor of pediatrics, UW, Seattle Children's, and Harborview Medical Center.

“Childhood obesity is not just a family problem, but a larger community and societal problem,” Dr. Grow added. “A disadvantaged environment can set families up for ill health, and it’s unfair to blame them for not taking enough ‘personal responsibility’ to manage their weight. We don’t yet know all of the factors that may create disadvantage, but we know it is present and associated with higher obesity.”

(June 11, 2010) More...