title: Socio-economic differences in weight-control behaviours and barriers to weight control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine socio-economic differences in weight-control behaviours (WCB) and barriers to weight control.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained by means of a postal questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1013 men and women aged 45-60 years residing in Brisbane, Australia (69·8 % response rate).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusted for age, gender and BMI. Socio-economically disadvantaged groups were less likely to engage in weight control (OR for lowest income quartile = 0·60, 95 % CI 0·39, 0·94); among those who engaged in weight control, the disadvantaged group had a likelihood of 0·52 (95 % CI 0·30, 0·90) of adopting exercise strategies, including moderate (OR = 0·56, 95 % CI 0·33, 0·96) and vigorous (OR = 0·47, 95 % CI 0·25, 0·89) physical activities, compared with their more-advantaged counterparts. However, lower socio-economic groups were more likely to decrease their sitting time to control their weight compared with their advantaged counterparts (OR for secondary school or lower education = 1·78, 95 % CI 1·11, 2·84). They were also more likely to believe that losing weight was expensive, not of high priority, required a lot of cooking skills and involved eating differently from others in the household.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marked socio-economic inequalities existed with regard to engaging in WCB, the type of weight-control strategies used and the perceived barriers to weight control; these differences are consistent with socio-economic gradients in weight status. These factors may need to be included in health promotion strategies that address socio-economic inequalities in weight status, as well as inequalities in weight-related health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia. jessica.siu@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siu
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Giskes
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turrell
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires