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Many believe lifestyle change is a “privilege” enabled by high income
Yet:
Weight loss works similarly across income in RCTs
Obesity is evenly distributed by income
People with higher income work more, vice versa
This myth is not based on evidence and hurts poor people
Yet:
Weight loss works similarly across income in RCTsObesity is evenly distributed by incomePeople with higher income work more, vice versaThis myth is not based on evidence and hurts poor people
People are getting feisty. Let us look at the evidence.
NEJM RCT: "Weight Loss in Underserved Patients — A Cluster-Randomized Trial"
Underserved = low-income, less access to medical care.
Similar weight loss as other trials with similar design.
Conclusion: Income doesn't impair WL when treatment is received https://twitter.com/kevinnbass/status/1374771474502979589
Underserved = low-income, less access to medical care.
Similar weight loss as other trials with similar design.
Conclusion: Income doesn't impair WL when treatment is received https://twitter.com/kevinnbass/status/1374771474502979589
Next up. Does low socioeconomic status associate with obesity? Yes, a little but the difference is small (at least in America). https://twitter.com/kevinnbass/status/1374771480555360256
To be sure, while results from NEJM were comparable with other similarly designed RCTs, weight loss in NEJM study was about 1% bodyweight less. This might reflect impact of SES. But it is a small impact and low-income folks still respond similarly to WL intervention.
Finally.
Hours worked vs. income.
If being poor meant being run down by long working hours, then a high income would be a privilege that could translate into more time to focus on health.
But the opposite is true.
In this respect, people with lower income have more privilege.
Hours worked vs. income.
If being poor meant being run down by long working hours, then a high income would be a privilege that could translate into more time to focus on health.
But the opposite is true.
In this respect, people with lower income have more privilege.
Myth that low-income people are impaired to lose weight because of their income is harmful because it suggests we shouldn't concern ourselves with WL for low-income people.
That's bad.
(Reality: Most people struggle with WL, & this is roughly equally distributed across income.)
That's bad.
(Reality: Most people struggle with WL, & this is roughly equally distributed across income.)
