Social vulnerabilities as risk factor of childhood obesity development and their role in prevention programs

Large socioeconomic, gender, and ethnic inequalities exist in terms of childhood obesity worldwide. Children from low socioeconomic status families are more likely to have overweight/obesity and related cardiometabolic problems and future cancer risk. A wider concept are social vulnerabilities defined as social or economic characteristics or experiences negatively affecting children through behavioral, biological factors, or mental health. Social vulnerabilities include also therefore low subjective perceptions of social position.

This study aims to identify social vulnerabilities and to summarize their impact as obesity development risk factor. Preventive programs implemented targeting these vulnerable groups and their effectiveness are also discussed.

Literature review based on the experience of the authors social vulnerabilities identified as risk factors for childhood obesity were children whose parents lack of a social network, low support from formal and informal sources, parental unemployment, belonging to a minority group or having migrant background, adverse childhood experiences including household dysfunction, violence and childhood maltreatment and other traumatic experiences, gender inequalities and being part of nontraditional families.

The impact of social vulnerabilities on childhood obesity is independent of SES; however, SES exacerbates or buffer the effect social vulnerabilities have on different lifestyles and stress. Behavioral, biological, and mental health mechanisms may explain the association between social vulnerabilities and childhood obesity.

Behaviors such as dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and sleep are negatively affected by the stress and low levels of mental health derived from social vulnerabilities. It seems that high energy intakes rather than low physical activity levels might be the main driving force behind the obesity epidemic in vulnerable groups. Most of the prevention programs identified did not take into account social vulnerabilities and inequalities making them ineffective in most vulnerable groups. Interventions conducted in children from socially vulnerable group suggest modest but promising effects.