Integrating nutrition and lifestyle: associations between employment type and health behaviors

Health and well-being are associated with socioeconomic conditions, nutrition, and lifestyle behaviors. Although self-employment has become increasingly prevalent in developing economies, its implications for health remain unclear, particularly through nutrition- and lifestyle-related pathways. This study examines the associations between employment arrangements and self-rated health, dietary diversity, and lifestyle behaviors in Thailand, with particular attention to dietary behaviors.

Data were drawn from the Thailand Health and Welfare Survey. Ordered probit models and an instrumental variable approach were employed to examine the associations between self-employment and self-rated health, dietary diversity, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Heterogeneity across types of self-employment was also assessed by distinguishing employer self-employed individuals from solo self-employed workers.

Self-employment was associated with lower self-rated health and lower dietary diversity, indicating less varied diets. Self-employed individuals also exhibited less favorable lifestyle behaviors, including lower physical activity and higher probabilities of smoking and alcohol consumption. These associations varied by type of self-employment. Employer self-employed individuals tended to maintain healthier behaviors and better health outcomes, whereas solo self-employed workers were more vulnerable to lower dietary diversity and adverse health conditions.

The findings indicate that employment type is an important structural factor associated with nutrition, lifestyle behaviors, and health inequalities. Policies aimed at improving population health should integrate labor-market interventions with nutrition- and lifestyle-oriented strategies, with particular attention to vulnerable groups of solo self-employed workers.