Health outcomes are complex and vary depending on many factors. However, geographical location and socioeconomic status appear to be major determinants of mortality and health in humans. Generally those living in the developing nations tend to have higher death rates from upper respiratory tract infections and other diseases of infection. However as a country develops the risk of dying from these causes falls significantly. Those living in developed nations such as most of Western Europe, North America and Australasia, are protected from infectious disease but instead have a higher risk of dying of Western lifestyle diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and the secondary diseases of obesity. Socioeconomic status is also an important determinant of health, and studies have investigated the effect of affluence on health in many countries. Generally as socioeconomic status improves, health also improves, such that the total risk of mortality falls and this may be related to changes in food consumption.
A number of studies have investigated the effects of socioeconomic status in low and middle income countries to ascertain the associations between improved wealth and health. A recent meta-analysis of such studies, which included data from China, Iran and Brazil amongst others suggested that improved socioeconomic status was associated with increased intakes of total energy, total protein, total fat, cholesterol, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, but lower intakes of carbohydrate and fibre. This therefore suggest that wealth allows access to food that are not available to the poor. As wealth increases, food choices change, and with the availability of different foods comes a shift in the health of the individual. Those with higher socioeconomic status in low and middle income countries also consume more fruit, more vegetables and have a larger variety in their food choices, something likely facilitated by increased wealth.
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