The influence of socioeconomic status and ethnicity on children's excess body weight

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe and briefly discuss the prevalence of childhood obesity in selected countries of the WHO European Region in relation to socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnic origin. Emphasis was given on the most recent research papers available. Design/methodology/approach - A search was performed on relevant papers on "Prevalence of Obesity and Overweight in relation to socio-economic status and ethnicity'' using MEDLINE and the ISI Web of Science. The search was limited to the age range 0-20 years to the countries of the WHO European Region. Findings - A growing number of studies suggest that children in lower-income families in developed countries are particularly vulnerable to becoming obese. Plausible explanations for the differences in obesity prevalence in migrant children and children with lower SES include poor diet, limited opportunity for physical activity and differences in the perception of ideal body weight together with possible food security issues. It is important to stress that the rising cost of a healthy diet is of great concern. Originality/value - Understanding the prevalence of obesity in children and the social and cultural parameters related to the phenomenon can facilitate the formation of effective public health intervention policies in counteracting childhood obesity.