March 2018. Inequalities in smoking and obesity in Europe predicted to 2050 The aim of this study was to project educational inequalities in obesity and smoking prevalence to 2050 based on past obesity and smoking trends by education level. Data on obesity (body mass index ≥ 30) and smoking prevalence (current smokers) by education level (tertiary education and less than tertiary) from nationally representative cross-sectional surveys were collected for the following six countries participating in the Economics of Chronic Diseases project (EConDA): England, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland (obesity only) and Portugal (obesity only). A nonlinear multivariate regression model was fitted to the data to create longitudinal projections to 2050. Inequalities were measured with a prevalence ratio and a prevalence difference using projected obesity/smoking prevalence. The conclusion of this project was that widening educational inequalities in obesity and smoking prevalence are expected in several European countries if current trends in obesity and smoking prevalence are unaltered. This will impact on inequalities in morbidity and mortality of associated diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Back to our work ← February 2018. Health and cost impacts of tobacco taxation in the Ukraine May 2018. Case Studies on Interventions to Address Inequalities in Behaviours →
