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In the first half of this century, cardiovascular diseases were more prevalent in individuals belonging to the richest social class. Later on, their prevalence became higher in individuals belonging to the lowest socioeconomic level. In developed countries, this phenomenon is common and independent of traditional risk factors. This paper reviews some factors claimed to explain the differences due to social class: eating habits, living condition at birth and during childhood (the Forsdahl-Baker hypothesis), the genetic susceptibility of the population, self-perceived health as a consequence of the social hierarchy. These factors, beyond the traditional risk factors, may explain the independent role of socioeconomic status on cardiovascular diseases development. |
