Independent Project: Social Factors and Childhood Obesity (ASS1183)

This report, titled "Social factors that contribute to obesity in children from black and minority ethnic group," examines the impact of social factors on childhood obesity within black and ethnic minority groups. The study explores the influence of income, environment, and cultural values on children's health, focusing on how these factors contribute to increased energy intake, decreased physical activity, and the development of obesity. It identifies key social factors such as income, place of residence, and time constraints, and their disproportionate effects on ethnic minority groups. The report includes a literature review, research methodology, data analysis, and discussion, incorporating the Marxism theory to understand health inequalities. The research aims to understand these social factors, identify effective strategies for minimizing their impact, and ultimately contribute to reducing childhood obesity. It highlights the importance of addressing these issues through targeted interventions to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities.

Independent Project in Health and in
Social Care ASS1183

ABSTRACT
The effects of unremitting public health issue of obesity have been severely inordinate
when specifically reviewing its effects in ethnic minority groups. The social factors including the
cultural factors affect the impact of this public health issue in minority groups. The purpose of
this project is to understand the concept of social factor that contribute to obesity among children
within black and ethnic minority groups by identifying those factors and understanding the
effects they have on minority groups. Also this understanding is used to suggest strategies or
ways for minimizing social factors which lead to obesity among children within black and ethnic
minority groups. For gaining the understanding of the concept research articles were found
which were relevant to the topic and out of the appeared searches the most relevant ones were
selected for presenting a literature review on those articles as an evidence for the understanding
developed. The discussion in this project includes the effect of factors such as importance of
money, importance of place where the child is residing and the lack of time that requires to be
devoted to diet needs of an individual. These factors have an inordinate effect on the health of
ethnic minority groups.

Table of Content
TITLE..............................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................4
RESEARCH AIMS......................................................................................................................5
RESERACH OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................5
RESERACH QUESTIONS.........................................................................................................5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW..................................................................................6
Contribution of social factors towards obesity among children within black and ethnic
minority groups............................................................................................................................6
Effective strategies or ways for minimizing social factors which lead to obesity among
children within black and ethnic minority groups.....................................................................11
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY................................................................14
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS..........................................................15
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION..................................................................................................18
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION..................................................................................................20
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................22

TITLE
“Social factors that contribute to obesity in children from black and minority ethnic group.”
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Childhood obesity remains an endless public health issue affecting ethnic minorities. Most
of research has examine that ethnicity is the factor of childhood obesity (Andolfi and Fisichella,
2018). Overweight in children's as well as adult's is defined by the body mass index (BMI)
Childhood obesity is caused with serious morbidities which includes higher incidence of sleep
apnea, insulin resistance and asthma (Eisenberg and et. al., 2020). According to the evidence
based knowledge it indicates (Weaver and et. al., 2019) that childhood obesity generates the
adult obesity. Social status can also be determined by the manifestations of status differentials,
including inequality between groups or measurable differences in the ability for someone to
obtain basic life necessities, such as food security and quality life to each minorities people. High
levels of absolute income and wealth condition may be related to health not only through better
material conditions, but also through social position. Social factors that contributes to obesity
which includes income and occupation (Solmi Downs, 2021). In recent decades, obesity has
increased in adult as well as children. Obesity increase is the result of changing individual
behaviour due to high calories and good tasting and low cost food widely available that are
harmful for the children and they take more sweetened beverages that are more harmful for their
health. The aim and objective of this research is to better understand the social factors that leads
to obesity in children from black and minority groups and describe the relationships between
ethnicity and obesity-related lifestyle behaviours among school-aged children in England, and to
assess whether the effects of ethnicity on lifestyle. It is quite essential to address childhood
obesity as it is directly linked with severe well-being conditions consisting sleeping disorders,
type 2 diabetes, fatty liver illness and developing risk of cardiac illness. Within this, the mental
well-being problems like depression, discrimination, emotional trauma often accompany the
childhood obesity. Investigating about the prevalence of obesity among minority and ethnic
group children is essential because it involves a high concern about the enhanced risk of chronic
illness morbidity namely the disabilities, anxiety, cardiovascular illness, depression, cancer and
type 2 diabetes and many more. The childhood obesity can outcomes in the similar conditions,
with having premature onset with consisting high possibilities in the adulthood. The
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methodology of this research includes selection of articles relevant to the subject of the research
since 2018 and presenting a literature review on those articles. In addition, there has been used a
substantive literature review as a method for doing the research on the provided topic. Three
articles that are addressed social factors that contributes to obesity in children from minority
ethnic groups were identified for review. Theory and background of this research is all about to
understand the concept and strategies to minimize the social factors that leads to obesity in
children's with in different minority groups. It involves Marxism theory, which is the theory
related to social, political and economic perspectives focusing on struggles of capitalists and the
working class. The theory says that the health conditions and sick health should be viewed as the
problem of social class due to inequalities. The research identifies the correlation of Marxism
theory in regards to obesity in children from black and minority ethnic group. With addition, the
public policy was included in research in context with state and Marxism theory. Background of
this research is, in earlier historical records obesity was rare and people already recognized the
health disease (Forouhi and Wareham, 2019). But as increasing in modern period, it affected
large number of populations. Obesity is the major public health problem over the world. Obesity
are at high increased risk for many serious health conditions, which may be including high blood
pressure, type 2 diabetes high cholesterol, and coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease,
osteoarthritis, hypersomnia and respiratory problems. Additionally, this research includes the
aim and objective of the title and different literature review present on the research article,
research methodology, findings of research article and lastly it also includes the discussion (da
Costa Peres, 2020).
RESEARCH AIMS
To understand the social factor that contribute to obesity in children from black and minority
ethnic group.
RESERACH OBJECTIVES
 To identify the social factors that contribute towards obesity among children within black
and ethnic minority groups.
 To recommend effective strategies or ways for minimizing social factors which lead to
obesity among children within black and ethnic minority groups.
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RESERACH QUESTIONS
 What are the social factors that contribute towards obesity among children within black
and ethnic minority groups?
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review generally introduces an organized procedure of gathering the secondary
data that is more appropriate to the given topic. In this, there are several secondary resources for
example articles, books, journals as well as the research publication which are linked with the
provided topic. The main purpose of presenting a literature review is to effectively evaluate the
study gaps within the past learnings. In the current investigation, the main gap is about social
factors which will contribute to obesity among children from black and minority ethnic groups.
Within the past studies, there was multiple of information which are corresponding to the factors
contributing towards obesity among people but there was a lack the information about the
concept of social components which can contribute towards obesity among children within the
black and ethnic minority groups which were mainly linked to reduce the prevalence of obesity
among children between black and ethnic minority groups. It is specifically a main research gap
and to reduce this, there are various obesity risk reduction behaviours that must be implemented
among children and aim to seek help for leading cause of obesity among children within black
and ethnic minority groups within the UK.
Contribution of social factors towards obesity among children within black and ethnic minority
groups.
As per the view of Alexandra Lee, BS,Michelle Cardel, PhD, MS, RD, and William T
Donahoo, MD (2019), obesity is one of the most growing concern in the UK, specific among the
black children's. Obesity is an issue that needs to be addressed by the health professional’s
measures of social status and inequality are associated with increased energy intake and
decreased energy expenditure, which could place individuals of low social status at greater risk
for obesity development. In this research study the obesity and unhealthy lifestyle behaviour
among school aged children below the 6 years old facing many difficulties due to obesity
because obesity lead to cause many health issues such as heart disease and insulin resistance
(Alexandra Lee, 2019). Obesity is multifactorial diseases that is caused by social, environmental
and biological factors. According to Recent studies, WHO estimates that 28% of adults in UK
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are suffering from overweight or obesity (D'Agostino and et. al., 2018). Obesity can rapidly
occur at young population. In adults, hormonal changes and due to less active in physical
activities increases the risk of obesity. Having modern lifestyles and new technologies reduces
the physical activities that can contribute to significant weight gain because people and children
spend their more time with laptop and computers. Consumption of alcohol is also the major
factor of causing overweight. Obesity is a condition in which excess amount of body weight that
may lead to causing negative effects on health. High body mass index(BMI) is indication of high
risk causing depression and also a co-relational between obesity and depression. Obesity can also
occur due to unhealthy lifestyle intake of high diet with high calories, lack of fruits and
vegetables and fast food. There is also a co relation between social issues and obesity because
many minorities people faced difficulties due to lack of money and education in children's and
they don't have enough money to purchase the hygienic and healthy foods. Some people do not
have enough money to buy fruits, milk and vegetables. They also do not have safe place to walk
and do physical exercise, this situation increases the risk of causing the obesity (Gualdi-Russo,
2018).
According to the D’Agostino and et. al., (2021), there are notable ethic differences in their
life style risk factors for obesity. Children's from ethnic minorities group in the UK engage due
to lack of physical activity and consumption of dietary fat and many children's belongs from
black ethnic group are more likely to avoid the nutrition food and breakfast. One of the most
possible fact is that ethnic of obesity is directly related to the effect of cultural values. It results
as to reduce the health inequalities and address the issue of healthy lifestyle among high risk
ethnic groups. Children's from ethnic minorities group are represented in underprivileged area
and disadvantages is associated with people life style and their environment. According to
research, ethnicity is identified as the risk factor for obesity and also this will provide the
justification for the specific cultural behaviour interventions to decrease the health inequalities.
Most of the children are not physically active due to different modern technologies in which they
spend more time and they do not aware about the weight gain and it results in causing obesity
and overweight. According to the (Heller and et. al., 2020) research youth has provided evidence
for a moderating effect of food insecurity on the relationship between income and social status.
This means that low income is more strongly associated with low subjective social status when
the household is also food insecure. Families have also a major in their children's overweight.
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Family is the primary environment for children to learn about healthy and unhealthy eating
habits. The dietary preferences and the physical activities are most important to give shape at an
early childhood, influenced by family environment. Young children are highly affected by the
parental behaviour and it is the crucial period for the parents to take care of his child and they
should have to teach about the healthy lifestyle and importance of health. Children's are more
likely to overweight when they do not know aware about their healthy and continuous taking the
junk food, unhygienic and unhealthy food which leads to overweight.
Marxism theory describe sick health and current health perspectives of community
people due to inequality (Theorising health inequalities, 2015). The black and ethnic minorities
are prone to several inequalities from the historical era, their health conditions are not
significantly given priorities. Along with that the discriminations are the reason for their
deprived health. There are several policies regarding the inequalities and treatment for better
(Disparities in Health and Health Care, 2021). Policy can be defined as the course of action
adopted by person having power in order to achieve the certain goals. The public policy has
several dimensions in a political process, which is analysis, administration and method
evaluation. The Marxist perspective on policy says that socially and politically strong people
avoids the desire of weak people, the Marxist theory focus on the class power. A Public health
policy mainly include regulations, laws, implementation of the effective decisions in the
community, specific actions to effectively promote the health and ensure that the significant
well-being goals are met (Public Health Policy, 2021). The Public health policies usually range
from the formal legislations to the community outreach efforts. In the case of obesity, the policy
can help to overcome the prevalence of obesity among people and encourage the welfare of
whole public. The ethnic minorities and black people from the periodic period are facing
discrimination and an inequality which can be justified by Marxist perspective and policy
(McCartney and et. al., 2019).
As per the view of Caprio, S. and et. al., (2008), overweight in children of black and
ethnic minorities is defined by their body mass index (BMI), and it is linked with some serious
relative incidence such as insomnia, diabetes mellitus, abnormal lipid levels, high cholesterol etc.
Children belonging to black and ethnic minority are more prone towards obesity due to several
risk factors. Race discriminates population on the basis of biological characteristics like skin
colour and genes. Whereas, ethnicity discriminates cultural characters like religion, language,
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history, traditions etc. Reason for prevalence of obesity among black and ethnic minorities may
be the genetic compositions, cultural effect, socioeconomic status, environmental factors and
social factors. Obesity in children is mainly linked with their disturbed quality of life. As per the
author's view social factors leading to obesity among black and ethnic minority are Poverty,
importance of residential conditions, choice between money and time etc.
Poverty: People with poverty problems consume widely available low cost food with
poor nutrition values. For examples, fast foods, snacks, soft drinks, frozen foods etc. are
associated with poor nutrition. These food types are available at low cost and do not have shown
any rise in their prices since many years. Whereas, the vegetables and fruits which are
considered among healthier foods have shown a rise in their price. Fruits and vegetables are high
in nutrition’s but low in their energy values (Matsuzaki and et. al., 2020). Fast foods and food
with high sugar intakes have low nutritional values but high in their energy values. Price
difference between fast food and healthier food is responsible for increased consumption of such
nutrition less food among poor black and ethnic minorities. Cost of fresh food is higher in
comparison to cost of fats and sweet. As per the survey described in the article it was stated that
food like fresh vegetables and fruits have shown a hike in their price by approx 20% over past
two years. Whereas, price of foods that are rich in sugar and fat are constant (Lee, A. and et. al.,
2013). Female in majority consume less vegetables and fruits, such food consumption does not
provide enough of the nutrition but increase body mass index and lead to obesity. Children like
taste of fast food more as compare to nutrition rich food like fruits and vegetables. This moves
children towards the consumption of fast food, high sugar intake etc. Poor people have difference
in living of their lifestyle when compared with different people. Poor people face several issues
like lack of education and lack of knowledge regarding type of food and their nutrition values.
Lack of education is responsible for wrong choice of food for consumption. Similarly, lack of
knowledge regarding food type as well as the nutrition values the food is having, have impact
over obesity among children. Minorities are facing increase prevalence of obesity due to poverty
because of the discrimination they face with most of the situations like employment, education,
workplace etc. such discrimination affects them with their financial conditions and force them
towards consumptions of food that are not good for their health.
Importance of residential conditions: As per the author of the research paper (Caprio, S.
and et. al., 2008) considered for this research objective, apart from the factor related to money
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another factor that affects the chances of children being obese is the importance of place. This
factor is linked with the area in which the child is spending his childhood in. through this factor
the author tries to simplify the relation between the social and economic and prevalence of
obesity in children. This factor as well is indirectly linked with the money factor. The elements
of the residing area that can have an effect on the prevalence of obesity are the poverty levels of
that area, the value of property taxes and value of land and houses in that area. These elements
can provide a better insight on the how deprived the neighbourhood to the area where the is
residing is. This insight will further help to assess the opportunities of availability of healthy
nutritious food and opportunities for children to get involved in physical activities. The more the
area is deprived of these opportunities, more are the chances of the children residing in that area
to be affected by the public health issue of obesity. The author stated that the controlling of the
elements of education, occupation and income of people residing in deprived areas also does not
have any significant effects on the management of obesity in people living in high poverty areas.
As the people belonging to ethnic minority groups are more subjected to live in high poverty
areas therefore, their children are more prone to be obese (Dinsa, and et.al, 2012).
Choice between money and time: The author (Caprio, S. and et. al., 2008) in his research
article mentioned the poverty of time as yet another factor that affects the prevalence of obesity
amongst the children. As there is prevalence of poverty in the ethnic minority groups they are
more likely to give importance to earning money than taking care of the maintaining the healthy
dietary habits. With the rise of service providing based jobs there has been noticed a drastic
change in the dietary habits of many families. This is because in the desire to step out of the
condition of poverty the females of the family also get involved in service based jobs due to
which the children are deprived of the availability of healthy food. This situation results in
children resorting to easily available snacks which comes in the category of junk and fast foods.
This forms a habit of unhealthy eating in the children contributing to children being obese. These
efforts to get the family rid of poverty leads to making their children habitual of unhealthy eating
habits. Also these minority groups being poverty stricken cannot get themselves back from being
obese as they do not have access to sufficient opportunities for getting their children involved in
physical activities. Also these minority groups even face discrimination in terms of having access
to proper health care therefore, it would also be difficult for the parents to get their obese
children the treatment that might help them get back to normal weight (Sahoo, and et.al, 2015).
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Effective strategies or ways for minimizing social factors which lead to obesity among children
within black and ethnic minority groups
As per the view of Justin D. Smith, PhD, Emily Fu, MPH and Marissa Kobayashi, MHS
(2020), the childhood obesity generally has become a global epidemic within the evolved
countries generally leading to the host of clinical conditions which can be influenced to enhance
both premature death and morbidity as well. As per the author's point of view, the main cause of
obesity within childhood and the adolescence are quite complex as well as many-sided. In this,
mainly impacted by the genetics, psychosocial as well as the biological elements and the well-
being behaviours, the obesity and overweight among childhood is mainly the complex public
well-being issues influencing the majority of evolved countries across nation. In this, the key
contributors to the obesity can involve such as lack of physical activity, reduced diet, these are
generally among the significant leading cause of more preventable deaths of the youth, an
economic well-being burden and a chronic illness. In order to prevent the public such as children
within the black and ethnic minority groups, their classification is mainly aimed to stress the
well-being risks of obesity, can remove a person's blame, as well as can produce the new
implications and the specific opportunities for the interventions. There are two theories which
helps in prevention of childhood obesity that is social learning theory and behavioural theory.
UK government implement Social learning theory suggest that children learn eating habit from
their homes and where they live. Childhood obesity can be prevented by having the parents who
is more focused on eating healthy diet and maintain their weight. Social learning theory is more
beneficial and effective for children which can give positive impact on child health. It is essential
as it can suggest that people can learn the specific behaviours from observing other people and
then start mimicking such kind of behaviours. In addition, most of the eating habits are learned
behaviours which the children can see in their own places. In addition to this, the classification
can aid to promote a wider understanding about the obesity conditions within public as well as its
linked stigma, the prevention efforts, the insurance compensation for the effective interventions,
effective study for care treatment and management and the clinical education. In addition to this,
the significant intervention strategies for overcoming as well as managing the childhood obesity
that can occur in several contexts and within and in coordination with various care service
delivery systems. It is generally due to a wide part towards the risk elements mainly inherent
towards the familial, educational and the community levels. The author described here some of
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the points about effective interventions to reduce excessive weights among children and are as
given below:
Community interventions: In this, the communal care interventions are mainly described
as incorporating the effective strategies and policies which are aimed at decreasing the
developing risk of obesity among population. It can be done through specific legislations, some
alterations towards the built environment, provide provision towards accessible resources as well
as alterations in pricing or the food subsidies. Within this, the community interventions can
significantly consist the use of social media, business such as hotels, the community gardens,
their well-being services, the city planning and many more. In addition to this, the interventions
which are delivered within the community settings have the capability to give an advanced level
of access and the exposure towards the strategies and the effective programs to racially diverse,
having reduced income children, who are generally at a greater risk of developing obesity and
overweight.
School-based interventions: The school based effective interventions are mainly
described as taking place during the school hours or after the school hours for the children within
the kindergarten via high school and being concentrated within the educational institutions. It can
be considered that most of the children can spend a particular time period in the schools, various
effective preventative care interventions generally have leveraged the schools as an entry point in
order to enhance the obesogenic surrounding environment by simply encouraging additional
physical activities within the physical education classes and recess as well. It can also include to
enhance the school playgrounds as well as the nutritional options within the educational
cafeterias and can furnishing a healthy living style education within the classes or the other
school policies.
Family-based interventions: In this, the family-based environment such as daily family
routine, limit settings, the household chaos and crowding as well generally has a long that is
being considered as one of the most powerful impact over the healthy behaviours of the children
and obesity results as well. Playing a central role in the physical activity, screen time, diet, sleep,
the parents can demonstrate a positive parenting care practices like as a role modelling, setting
limits and so on. It can also give a healthy and a supportive environment like provisions of fresh
fruits as well as vegetables, thereby shaping the lifelong habits of children and generally
preventing the onset of the childhood overweight. In this, the family-based interventions are
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