Study: Overweight among men and household income

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The higher their income, the more likely Canadian men are to be overweight. To some extent, the higher prevalence of overweight among more affluent men is related to their greater likelihood of having meals away from home.

While research has shown that people in higher income groups generally have better health than those in lower income groups, this is less the case when it comes to overweight among men.

New findings suggest that differences in food consumption patterns may be associated with overweight among more affluent men.

Since the early 1980s, the largest increase in the prevalence of obesity has been among men in higher income groups. In 2004, the odds of affluent men being overweight were about twice the odds of men in the lowest income group.

Men in higher household income groups were significantly more likely than those in lower income groups to report eating meals away from home.

Eating out has gained attention as a potential contributor to the rising prevalence of obesity. Research has shown that people who often eat out tend to consume more calories than do those who usually eat meals prepared at home. The greater frequency of eating out among men with a higher income may be associated with their relatively high odds of being overweight.

These patterns did not hold for women. Although women from higher income households were more likely than those from lower income households to eat out, they were no more or less likely to be overweight.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5049.

The article "Why does the social gradient in health not apply to overweight?," which is part of today's online release of Health Reports, Vol. 19, no. 4 (82-003-XWE, free), is now available. For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Jillian Oderkirk (613-951-6591; jillian.oderkirk@statcan.gc.ca), Health Information and Research Division.

This online issue of Health Reports also includes the article "The concentration-coverage curve: A tool for ecological studies." This article presents a graphical tool that can be used in ecological studies to help determine if a population of interest is concentrated in a subset of units of analysis. For more information on this article, contact Philippe Finès (613-951-3896; philippe.fines@statcan.gc.ca), Health Information and Research Division.

The complete version of the latest issue of Health Reports, Vol. 19, no. 4 (82-003-XWE, free), is now available from the Publications module of our website. A printed version (82-003-XPE, $24/$68) is also available.

For more information about Health Reports, contact Christine Wright (613-951-1765; christine.wright@statcan.gc.ca), Health Information and Research Division.