title: Social status as a mediator of self-perceived health, quality of life and health-related behaviour in obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity prevalence is increasing worldwide and associated with a high health risk. Unfavourable psychological factors, lower self-ratings of health and worse health-related behaviour can be found in individuals with a low socioeconomic status (SES). Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate whether normal weight vs. obese subjects with a high vs. low socioeconomic status (SES) differ with regard to self-perceived health, quality of life and health-related behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of the Austrian Health Interview Survey (ATHIS) 2006/07, precisely of 8015 subjects were analysed stratified by sex and adjusted by age concerning these outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results have shown that men and women with a low SES differ significantly from those with a high SES in terms of self-perceived health, quality of life, intensity of physical activities, alcohol consumption, and eating behaviour (men: p <0.001; women: p<0.001). A significant interaction between the body mass index (BMI) and SES occurred in men concerning quality of life in the domains physical (p<0.05) and psychological health (p<0.01), in women as to self-perceived health (p<0.01), quality of life in the domains physical health (p<0.01) and environment (p<0.05), as well as physical activities (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SES has a strong negative impact on health-related variables, especially in obese subjects, and therefore risk assessment in the primary health-care setting should include socioeconomic factors. Furthermore, a continued strong public health programme is required with an absolute priority placed on obese subjects of low SES.
authors.affiliation: Medical University Graz, Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Austria. nathalie.burkert@medunigraz.at
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Burkert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Freidl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muckenhuber
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Großschädl
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stronegger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rásky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult