ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Life-Course Epidemiology and Social Inequalities in Health
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1511317
Healthy Lifestyle in Low-Socioeconomic Groups: Expert Views
Provisionally accepted
Liza A. Hoveling*
Manna A. Alma
Jeanet A. Landsman
Nynke Smidt
Sijmen A. ReijneveldUte BültmannMarlou L.A. De Kroon- University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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Background: Low socioeconomic position (SEP) increases the risk of health inequalities.Understanding how to realize lifestyle improvements in groups with low SEP may offer routes to reduce these inequalities, and information from professionals involved in this target can support this. Our aims were to gain insight into the professionals' perspectives on factors that influence the lifestyle of individuals with low SEP, and to identify promising approaches to reduce health inequalities.Methods: Focus group interviews and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 social workers (partially in training), health care and policy professionals. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed following thematic analysis.Results: Four themes emerged from the data: individual factors, accumulating problems, social context and societal factors; for the second aim a fifth theme emerged: involvement of individuals with low SEP. Participants also indicated a hierarchy in these themes. Addressing accumulating multi-faceted issues such as poverty is imperative before a more healthy lifestyle can be adopted and individuals can focus on skills needed to achieve a healthy lifestyle.Additionally, the social context (e.g., parents or neighbours) can play a supportive role in lifestyle change, supported by government and with active involvement of low SEP individuals.According to the professionals, to help individuals with low SEP to realize a healthier lifestyle, poverty, knowledge and skills, and the involvement of a person's social context and society should be addressed.
Keywords: Health Promotion, Socioeconomic Factors, lifestyle, Focus Groups, semistructured interview
Received: 16 Dec 2024; Accepted: 28 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hoveling, Alma, Landsman, Smidt, Reijneveld, Bültmann and De Kroon. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Liza A. Hoveling, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.