Are teenage diets shaped by social class?

Teenagers’ attitudes to diet and weight are shaped by their social class, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

The importance of understanding young people’s health and eating habits features heavily in health news, but this is the first study which claims to show how everyday practices and perceptions of different social classes contribute to variation in the diet, weight and health of teenagers.

Middle class teenagers, aged 13-15 years, and their parents were interviewed for the research. Half of those selected were overweight or obese and the findings were compared with an earlier study of the same design conducted with families from lower social class groups.

Dr Wendy Wills of the University of Hertfordshire, who led the research said: “It is evident that children are moulded according to their parents’ expectations about behaviour. The study reveals the ideals and beliefs of both family life and parenting by looking at the diet, weight and health of middle class teenagers, their parents and comparing them with an earlier study of working class families.”

The study notes that middle class families look towards their children’s future, expecting young teenagers’ tastes to develop and have a good body shape to actively participate in adult life. Parents expressed concern that if children were overweight they would have poor health in later life. They also felt that being overweight would affect the children’s self-esteem and ability to take part in life’s opportunities.

Photo by Nubuck

In working class families, says the study, concern for the future is dominated by more pressing concerns about everyday life. Although working class families express the desire to improve the diet and lifestyle of their children, they sometimes lack the social and cultural abilities as well as money to make such changes happen. “In the context of risk and insecurity for working class families, the ideal body shape has little value” says Dr Wills.

At the same time, the independence of teenagers to make their own food choices and take responsibility for their health is also seen as an important sign of being working class. The research found that this contrasts with middle class families, where parents supervise and control young teenagers’ food choices on a daily basis.

Middle class teenagers saw obesity as the result of being lazy, unhealthy or unable to control a desire for ‘bad foods’. Middle class parents feel a moral urgency to ensure their children to stay an ‘acceptable’ size. Being seen to be ‘respectable’ in this regard is a significant sign of middle class distinctions. The findings of the study have already been used by NHS Health Scotland to help Health Boards implement child healthy weight initiatives. The Department of Health’s new Healthy Living social marketing initiative is also using the project’s research.

However, policymakers should not expect quick results, the study warns. ‘Given the complex, embedded nature of familiar practices and beliefs,’ says Dr Wills, ‘policy and practice targets need to be realistic in terms of the timescale needed for achieving change.’