Socio‐economic class affects nutritional status but not food habit

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the nutritional status of two socio‐economic classes, i.e. upper and middle class females, using different approaches apart from body mass index (BMI).

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 50 houses were randomly selected from a military officer colony, 25 in each social class on the basis of rank of the retired military officers. From each house a female in between the age range of 30‐50 years was selected and interviewed.

Findings

On overall basis, i.e. socio‐economic class, age and activity level, the respondents were having increase over reference protein and carbohydrate, while decrease over reference fat intake. The respondents were also having lower calcium and iron intakes by 31‐34 per cent and 39‐44 per cent, respectively. The vitamin A intake was also lower by 22‐43 per cent. These data suggest that there are faulty food habits and unnecessary restrictions among the females on energy and nutrients intakes in both classes.

Research limitations/implications

This research will have significant effect on the readers and will not only warn about the food habit but will also provide information on the misconceptions about dietary intakes and therefore, the energy and nutrients consumptions. Generally, the privileged classes of the society hold the misconceptions about healthy food habits. Furthermore, this study was conducted on free‐living individuals and the data reported are based on confronted questionnaire. Therefore, in such data there are chances of bias because of over‐ or under‐estimation. The sample size was small, which might have affected the results.

Practical implications

Improved life style and healthy eating is of great concern in the learned societies, since the healthy outcome solely depends on these two factors. This paper provides baseline data on two privileged classes, which may be useful in planning of studies and recommendation for social classes.

Social implications

This could be useful information and could be used in healthy lifestyle and energy and nutrients intakes when studies are to be planned on socioeconomic status.

Originality/value

This research takes into consideration the effect of social class on energy and nutrients intake in the two privileged socioeconomic classes in a military officer colony.

Citation

Muzaffar Ali Khan Khattak, M. and Akram, Z. (2012), "Socio‐economic class affects nutritional status but not food habit", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 42 No. 3, pp. 164-172. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346651211228450