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Child and family poverty

There is a very strong correlation between deprivation and risk of coronary heart disease.

Over the last 30 years, growing inequalities in income have been closely mirrored by a widening class-related gulf in coronary heart disease with the poorest members of society having more than twice the risk of premature mortality than those who are better off.[1]

One in three children in the UK grows up in relative poverty; this proportion is higher than in any other EU member state.[2] The relationship between socioeconomic background, child poverty and long-term ill health is complex.

Birthweight

Women from poor socioeconomic groups tend to have babies of low birthweight, as a result of their own low birthweight, their short stature and their poor nutritional status during pregnancy.[3] Low birthweight is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease.

Education

Poor educational attainment is another independent predictor of coronary heart disease. Boys whose fathers are from a low socioeconomic group are unlikely to reach the highest educational level.[4]

Food poverty

A family's lack of access to, or ability to afford, good quality food (termed food poverty) is a crucial factor in the relationship between childhood deprivation and long-term ill health. Under or malnourished children tend to be shorter than their better-off peers and the mechanisms which retard growth appear to increase the prevalence of adult hypertension and diabetes. Childhood undernutrition is also detrimental to cognitive development, behaviour, concentration and school performance.[5]

See Nutrition for more in-depth information about nutrition and food poverty.

References

  1. Office for National Statistics. 1997. Health Inequalities. London: The Stationery Office.
  2. UNICEF. 2000. Innocenti Report Card No. 1. June 2000. A League Table of Child Poverty in Rich Nations. Florence (Italy): UNICEF.
  3. Dallison J, Lobstein T. 1995. Poor Expectations: Poverty and Undernourishment in Pregnancy. London: The Maternity Alliance.
  4. Barker DJP, Forsén T, Uutela A et al. 2001. Size at birth and resilience to effects of poor living conditions in adult life: longitudinal study. British Medical Journal: 323; 1273-76.
  5. Child Poverty Action Group. 1999. Memorandum to the Education and Employment Committee Enquiry on School Meals. First Report. HC96. London: The Stationery Office.
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