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Insecurity, Inequality, and Obesity in Affluent Societies - British Academy Scholarship Online
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Insecurity, Inequality, and Obesity in Affluent Societies

Avner Offer, Rachel Pechey, and Stanley Ulijaszek

Abstract

The problem of obesity is of increasing national and international importance. This book, which provides a solid foundation for the social interpretation of obesity, assessing the role of institutions rather than the individual, argues that obesity is a response to stress and that some types of welfare regimes are more stressful than others. International comparisons show that English-speaking market-liberal societies have higher levels of obesity as well as higher levels of labour and product market competition, leading to inequalities that induce uncertainty and anxiety.

Keywords: obesity, stress, inequality, market-liberal society, international comparisons

Bibliographic Information

Print publication date: 2012 Print ISBN-13: 9780197264980
Published to British Academy Scholarship Online: January 2013 DOI:10.5871/bacad/9780197264980.001.0001

Authors

Affiliations are at time of print publication.

Avner Offer, editor
Chichele Professor of Economic History, All Souls College, University of Oxford

Rachel Pechey, editor
Research Officer, University of Oxford

Stanley Ulijaszek, editor
Professor of Human Ecology, Institute of Social & Cultural Anthropology, University of Oxford

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