Lifestyle seen as a person’s responsibility how people socially lead their lives exerts a powerful influence on people and their ability to choose a healthy lifestyle the idea of choice and responsibility is not always straightforward.
The black report on inequalities in health (department of health and social security,1980) has been described as an influencing document in debates about health. The report judged material and structural factors such as housing income and employment to be amin contributor’s to health inequalities.in the review of the black report professor dame Margaret whitehead (1987) said the material and structural factors limit a person’s choice of lifestyle living and working conditions they create severe restrictions on a person’s ability to choose a healthy lifestyle .
Related reports such as the Acheson report (Acheson,1998) and more recently the marmot review (marmot,2010) support this and highlight the importance of social, cultural political and economic elements which are at times labelled ‘structuralist’ factors. Based on this it has been suggested that individuals’ efforts to change their lifestyle will fail unless foundations are established through social and economic supports.
