Socioeconomic status and risk factors for non-communicable diseases in low-income and lower-middle-income countries

Non-communicable disease behavioural risk factors such as tobacco smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and unhealthy eating are socially patterned in high-income countries, with individuals of low socioeconomic status generally experiencing a higher burden of risk factors.1,2 However, the direction of the association between socioeconomic status and behavioural risk factors has changed over time. Unhealthy behaviours were more frequent in high socioeconomic groups at the beginning of the 20th century, but the burden later shifted towards the disadvantaged socioeconomic groups.