A recent article from Kevin Williamson has generated a fair amount of discussion about the relationship between poverty and behavior. These differences in healthy behaviors by income are consequential for overall health, and are one of the reasons why low income people have lower life expectancy. The differences in behaviors are not just true across income but also education, another component of socioeconomic status. This is not to claim that unhealthy or risky behaviors cause poverty entirely. But to understand why poverty and unhealthy behaviors go together, we’ve at least got to be willing to face reality and admit they they go together.

Source: Forbes October 29, 2017 20:26 UTC