Obesogenic environment

Question 1

Socio-cultural context

Answer 1

1) Media influence – exposure to food advertisement
2) Peer pressure and social stereotyping
3) Loss of socio-cultural valuation of family meal times – reduced control over children’s diet
4) Increased availability for passive entertainment
5) Increase in car ownerships
6) Greater urbanisation = less opportunities for physical activity
7) Reduced emphasis on physical activity in school
8) Longer working hours = less time for physical activity + time to prepare meals
9) Affordability of unhealthy food options as compared to healthy food options
10) Greater demand for convenience food

Question 2

Social differences

Answer 2

• Diet is the major factor that leads to poor health outcomes of those of low socio-economic status
• MATERIAL CIRCUMSTANCES SHAPE FOOD CONSUMPTION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIOURS

Higher socioeconomic status:

• Middle-class mothers place more emphasis on the health value of food
• Higher educated individuals have more frequent family meals and more affluent individuals spend more time with family members at the dining table
• Family meals are associated with an improvement in wellbeing, nutritional status and school performance

Lower socioeconomic status:

• Working-class mothers place more emphasis on the cost and preferences of family members
• Can lead to inadequate nutritional intake, poor variability and less healthy dietary patterns
• Often have shorter or even skipping family meal times