Low-Income and Obesity Prevalence in EKU Service Region
Major
Sociology
Department
Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
James N. Maples
Mentor Department
Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work
Recommended Citation
Krasnopolsky, Lauryn, "Low-Income and Obesity Prevalence in EKU Service Region" (2015). University Presentation Showcase Event. 8.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2015/undergraduate/8
Abstract
Obesity is a growing concern in the United States particularly surrounding low income communities. Multiple studies have been conducted to observe if there is a relationship between low income communities and the prevalence of obesity. In this study I observed if there is a relationship between income and obesity in twenty-two low-income Kentucky counties known as the EKU service region. I hypothesized that as income decreases, obesity will increase. I obtained data on demographic variables, as well as health characteristic for these twenty-two counties. My results show that income is not significant in predicting the prevalence of obesity. When controls for graduation rate and the percentage of people who smoke are added, income is not significant, but smoking is. This could be explained by the idea that the counties observed contain characterizes different from those of the rest of the United States.
Presentation format
Poster
Poster Number
38
Low-Income and Obesity Prevalence in EKU Service Region
Obesity is a growing concern in the United States particularly surrounding low income communities. Multiple studies have been conducted to observe if there is a relationship between low income communities and the prevalence of obesity. In this study I observed if there is a relationship between income and obesity in twenty-two low-income Kentucky counties known as the EKU service region. I hypothesized that as income decreases, obesity will increase. I obtained data on demographic variables, as well as health characteristic for these twenty-two counties. My results show that income is not significant in predicting the prevalence of obesity. When controls for graduation rate and the percentage of people who smoke are added, income is not significant, but smoking is. This could be explained by the idea that the counties observed contain characterizes different from those of the rest of the United States.
