SES

SES stands for 'social economic status', or socioeconomic status.

It's a term that links where you live, your job, income, and health all into a single figure that ranks on you on a scale. From this term, researchers have been able to identify trends between an individual's health and their wealth. It shows various things. For example, CEOs and high-end company bosses are shown to have a lower likely hood of developing chronic diseases and illness than those who work for minimal wage in a unfavorable environment. This is even combined with smoking, drinking, obesity, and any other factors that can affect health. This direct relationship remains the same.

This relationship has been further linked with education - many are suggesting that those with higher education have stable employment, less hazardous working conditions, higher pay, which all contributes to good overall health.

What I found most disturbing is the cycle of poor health many low SES families are trapped in. A movie from my Health Studies class stated that fast food joints are over crowding the areas of a lower SES communities . Now, this is only one of many factors contributing to this issue.

And this idea makes sense, if you think about it. $1.79 for a XL at Timmy's and the Dollar Menu at Mc D's make those food joints the hotspot for people who only have $20 for groceries. And if you add a family in the mix, Mc D's is the best way to fill their kids stomachs on a tight budget. The grocery stores in the area only offer combo deals on canned soups, white bread, KD and chicken strips because who can afford broccoli and peppers living paycheck to paycheck?

What about fruit? Whole grains? None of these nutritional elements essential for a child's health are offered at these places. Nothing. So, no one will introduce an organic food market or whole-food restaurant because no one can afford it. As a result, these children are WAY WAY more at risk for developing problems like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. These children are born and raised in an unhealthy environment. And how do you expect their performance in school to be affected? This branches onto the topic of university students not being able to afford food either... but that's a whole other rant.

It's easy to see why lower income households have a higher rate of health issues. Less money = cheap food that lacks any nutritional value = health problems = high medical bills = less money = cheap food... it's a sad continuum.

I am so bugged that there are people in Canada, here in Edmonton, who are in poverty. They are the hidden homeless, scrounging for money, just hoping to have food in the fridge by the end of the week. For goodness sakes, this is wrong. So wrong.

Thanks a lot, health studies class. You have given me my frustration for the day!

D.