Innately, we are social beings. After God created Adam, despite presenting to and giving him dominion over all creatures, Adam wasn’t as thrilled as he was when God eventually presented Eve to him- you know how the story goes! Right from creation, we witness how our immediate physical surroundings, social relationships, cultural milieus and interactions influence humankind.
Infrastructure, labor markets, wealth, social and health services, industrial and occupational structure, cultural practices and beliefs- all form components of our social and economic environment. These are experienced at multiple scales, often simultaneously, right from households, kin networks, neighborhoods, towns, cities and regions.
Wander with me! A city with roads built with pedestrian side walk ways encourages pedestrians to walk; an airport with walkways gives travelers an option to walk to the next gate over taking the escalators; the executive working at a high-rise building may choose taking the staircase over the elevator; a job seeker may choose the employer with a workplace fitness package or center over one with none.
In the Netherlands for instance, cycling is a common mode of transport with 36 percent of its people listing the bicycle as their most frequent mode of transport on a typical day, as opposed to the car by 45 percent and public transport by 11 percent. This high frequency of bicycle travel is enabled by investment in the cycling infrastructure including cycle paths, ample bicycle parking, protected intersections, intentionally making cycling routes shorter, quicker and more direct than car routes. Besides being an efficient mode of transportation, it is a way of keeping fit! High neighborhood walkability has been found to be associated with decreased prevalence of overweight and obesity. Proximity to recreational facilities, recreational facility density, access to sidewalks and paths that remove pedestrians from traffic hazards and access to parks, have all been reported to be facilitators of physical activity.
In some professions, obesity and overweight are intolerable. You’ve perhaps heard how it goes down in Hollywood – fat shaming!
I recently met a middle-aged mother of four (4) who has been working out for the last nineteen (19) years. Her two eldest sons who are now young adults live a physically active lifestyle mainly because of her influence. They started watching her work out in their early development stages; she planted a seed, and the effects have now permeated into their adulthood. This is a scenario of “social facilitation” within a household setting. As a parent, what example are you setting for your children when it comes to health and wellness?
While obesity levels have been rising for all socioeconomic groups, some groups are more affected than others. Recent research highlights the complexity and variation in how socio-economic status (SES) and obesity are related. A study published in Social Science and Medicine used data for 67 countries representing all the regions of the world to examine how economic development, socioeconomic status (such as education, occupation and income) and obesity were related. It was found that obesity rose with a nation’s economic development, but also that socioeconomic status as it related to obesity changed. In lower-income countries, people with higher SES were more likely to be obese. Conversely, in high-income countries, those with higher SES were less likely to be obese. Why the reversal? Could it be that in lower-income countries, the higher SES leads to consuming high-calorie food and avoiding physically tough tasks? Or that in higher-income countries, individuals with higher SES may respond with healthy eating and regular exercise? The implication is that while economic development improves health, problems of malnutrition are replaced by problems of over-consumption that distinctively affect SES groups.
The urban and peri-urban population at the E. African regional level is experiencing an exponential growth in toxic environment including a series of pervasive changes in social and economic dynamics contributing to the obesity prevalence. These include the increased portion sizes and the “super-sizing” of commercially available foods, proliferation of fast-food restaurants, increasing access to energy-dense foods in schools, increased use of labor saving devices that reduce physical activity and reduced opportunities for physical activity in schools contributing to the increasing trajectory of child obesity.
The persuasive advertising including visual advertising techniques have even made us more susceptible. Do you remember that TV/Instagram convenience or fast food commercial that arouses your taste buds, the one that gets you out of bed past 10pm as you scroll through your timeline feed to place that cheesy savory pizza order? Though adults have shown to be less susceptible to the effects of food advertising, experimental studies with children produce a sufficient effect size for increased food consumption after food advertising exposure.
How could I leave out all the wrong cultural connotations around obesity and overweight particularly in the African culture! For the longest time, some cultures have encouraged and associated one’s weight to one’s wealth status specifically for men and physical attractiveness for women.
“X is so rich; he has even grown a wealth belly…” No my friend! Big belly is not a sign of wealth; it’s a warning sign that something is wrong!
How has your socio-economic environment shaped your view of obesity and overweight? We are always curious to learn from you…