Childhood nutrition linked to income

In France, research by Mathilde Touvier, a research director at Inserm, highlights a clear connection between childhood nutrition and socioeconomic status. The findings, presented at a conference in Paris in June 2026, reveal that lower-income families have higher rates of overweight children and consume fewer fresh foods compared to wealthier households.

Overweight rates vary by family income

For children aged six and older, the gap in overweight rates is significant. A 2015 study called Esteban found that 16 percent of children from working-class families were overweight, compared to 7 percent from managerial families. Obesity rates followed a similar pattern, with 6 percent in the former group and just 1 percent in the latter.

Fruit and vegetable intake differs by income

In 2013, the NutriNet-Santé study found that high-income households consumed 50 percent more fruit than low-income households. The gap was 30 percent for vegetables and doubled for fish consumption. Among people receiving food aid, only 6 percent met the goal of eating five vegetable portions daily, compared to 28 percent of adults in higher-income groups.

Food consumption increases with income

Graphs from the research show that food consumption rises with each income level, from households earning under 700 euros per month to those earning more than 2,200 euros. Touvier notes that this trend forms an almost perfect correlation, stating that the pattern holds true for any type of food examined.

Call for better food access for lower-income groups

Touvier emphasizes that the issue goes beyond individual choices and urges a reevaluation of the food options available to lower-income households. She suggests that improving access to nutritious foods could help reduce health disparities across social classes.