Socioeconomic Inequalities in Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours Among Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
- 1Department of Nutrition (DN), Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
- 2School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract
Objectives
To synthesize the available evidence on the association between socioeconomic position and adolescents' dietary behaviours and physical activity.Study design
Systematic review.Methods
This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and BIREME were searched for observational studies published between January 2005 and February 2026 that examined the association between indicators of socioeconomic position and adolescents' dietary behaviours or physical activity. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists.Results
A total of 22,897 records were identified, of which 38 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The findings showed socioeconomic inequalities in adolescents' lifestyle behaviours. Higher socioeconomic position was associated with healthier dietary patterns, greater fruit and vegetable intake, and greater participation in organized physical activities. In contrast, lower socioeconomic position was associated with poorer diet quality, more frequent breakfast skipping, and higher consumption of energy-dense or ultra-processed foods, whereas associations with total physical activity and sedentary behaviour were inconsistent. Parental education showed the most consistent associations with dietary behaviours. Methodological quality was rated as high in 15 studies, moderate in 13, and low in 10.Conclusions
Socioeconomic position is consistently associated with adolescents' dietary behaviours, whereas its associations with physical activity and sedentary behaviour vary by domain and setting. Reducing these inequalities will require public health strategies that improve equitable access to healthy food environments and safe opportunities for physical activity while addressing the broader social and environmental determinants of health.
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BibTeX
@article{haddad2026socioeconomic,
title = {{Socioeconomic Inequalities in Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours Among Adolescents: A Systematic Review.}},
author = {Mariana R Haddad and Flávia M Sarti},
journal = {Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1111/jhn.70374},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972973},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Socioeconomic Inequalities in Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours Among Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
AU - Mariana R Haddad
AU - Flávia M Sarti
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association
DO - 10.1111/jhn.70374
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972973
AB - Objectives To synthesize the available evidence on the association between socioeconomic position and adolescents' dietary behaviours and physical activity.Study design Systematic review.Methods This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and BIREME were searched for observational studies published between January 2005 and February 2026 that examined the association between indicators of socioeconomic position and adolescents' dietary behaviours or physical activity. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists.Results A total of 22,897 records were identified, of which 38 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The findings showed socioeconomic inequalities in adolescents' lifestyle behaviours. Higher socioeconomic position was associated with healthier dietary patterns, greater fruit and vegetable intake, and greater participation in organized physical activities. In contrast, lower socioeconomic position was associated with poorer diet quality, more frequent breakfast skipping, and higher consumption of energy-dense or ultra-processed foods, whereas associations with total physical activity and sedentary behaviour were inconsistent. Parental education showed the most consistent associations with dietary behaviours. Methodological quality was rated as high in 15 studies, moderate in 13, and low in 10.Conclusions Socioeconomic position is consistently associated with adolescents' dietary behaviours, whereas its associations with physical activity and sedentary behaviour vary by domain and setting. Reducing these inequalities will require public health strategies that improve equitable access to healthy food environments and safe opportunities for physical activity while addressing the broader social and environmental determinants of health.
SN - 0952-3871
SN - 1365-277X
ER -