Health aNd Fitness Guide

Lower levels of income have an inflammatory effect on the body, putting people with low incomes at a greater risk for heart disease, says a study published in the journal Circulation.

The research, led by Nalini Ranjit at the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, was based on the data of more than 6,800 adults from different ethnic and economic backgrounds.

“Our results suggest that persons of lower socioeconomic position have greater inflammatory burden than those of higher socioeconomic position because of the cumulative effects of multiple behavioural, psychological and metabolic characteristics,” the researchers said.

Unhealthy diet, weight gain, lack of exercise and smoking are strongly associated with low income.