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Housing tenure, body mass index and health in Australia
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 22:36 authored by Bruce TranterBruce Tranter, Jed DonoghueJed DonoghueA national survey of Australian adults shows higher levels of obesity among public housing tenants and home owners with a mortgage compared to outright home owners. These results are to an extent due to higher instances of illness and disability among public housing tenants, and are also associated with known health risk factors. Yet differences in body mass index between tenures persist after controlling for a range of risk factors and socio-demographic indicators, suggesting the presence of cultural differences and different consumption patterns. Public tenants are by far the most likely to smoke on a daily basis, with private renters and home owners with a mortgage also more likely to be smokers than are outright home owners. Further investigation is required to establish the nature and extent that patterned health inequalities and associated risk factors are linked to housing tenure. If Australian mortgagees are more likely than outright homeowners to be obese, as our findings indicate, pursuing the ‘Australian dream’ of home-ownership may contain a hidden cost to one's health.
History
Publication title
International Journal of Housing PolicyVolume
17Issue
4Pagination
469-488ISSN
1949-1247Department/School
School of Social SciencesPublisher
RoutledgePlace of publication
United KingdomRights statement
Copyright 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis GroupRepository Status
- Restricted