Stability of Differences in Weight-Related Characteristics of Mothers across Economic, Cultural, Social, and Environmental-Health Indicators of Socioeconomic Status

Virginia Quick, Kaitlyn M. Eck, Colleen Delaney, Ryan Lewis and Carol Byrd-Bredbenner
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Virginia Quick: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08520, USA
Kaitlyn M. Eck: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08520, USA
Colleen Delaney: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08520, USA
Ryan Lewis: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08520, USA
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08520, USA

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 20, 1-15

Abstract: This study explored the differences in weight-related characteristics when socioeconomic status (SES) was assessed by economic, cultural, social, and environmental-health capital individually and as a composite with the goal of determining the stability of differences across types of capital and to ascertain whether single or a combination of capital indicators of SES should be used in nutrition and public health studies. Mothers (n = 557) of young children completed a survey assessing capital and weight-related characteristics. Mothers with higher economic, cultural, and social capital and composite SES had fewer sugar-sweetened beverage servings, fewer meals in front of the TV, more food security, and greater neighborhood space/supports for physical activity than comparators. Few differences occurred among environmental-health capital groups. Composite SES performed similarly to individual economic, cultural, and social capital measures. Findings suggest single SES indicators may be sufficiently stable to capture differences in weight-related characteristics. Each capital type captures a unique aspect of SES; thus, assessing an array of capital types could advance understanding of SES aspects on weight-related characteristics.

Keywords: nutrition; weight; public health; economic capital; social capital; cultural capital; environmental capital; socioeconomic status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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