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Poverty and social inequality are related to health-damaging behavior, such as a poor diet, smoking, or low physical activity. In contrast to previous studies that focused on this issue often with regard to income poverty or socio-economic status (SES), this thesis integrates additionally a combined poverty indicator to analyze cumulative poverty. Also dynamic aspects of poverty and SES are examined using data of the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP). The cross-sectional results (2008) suggest an inverse relationship between poverty / low SES / precarity and health behavior, especially regarding physical activity and combined health behavior. Panel analyses (2004 – 2010) confirm these findings only in parts. Analyses on permanent poverty and low SES strengthen the effect of poverty and SES. Additionally, health behavior as well as causal effects of poverty / low SES are differently distributed among men and women. Armut und soziale Ungleichheit sind häufig mit gesundheitsschädigendem Verhalten wie ungesunder Ernährung, Rauchen oder zu wenig Sport verbunden. Während bisherige Studien vor allem einkommensbasierte Armutsindikatoren oder den sozioökonomischen Status (SES) heranziehen, berücksichtigt diese Arbeit zudem einen mehrdimensionalen Armutsindikator. Datengrundlage ist das Sozio-ökonomischen Panel (GSOEP) für die Jahre 2004 bis 2010. Querschnittsanalysen für das Jahr 2008 bestätigen, dass Personen, welche entweder arm sind, einen niedrigen SES aufweisen oder dem Prekariat angehören, ein ungünstigeres Gesundheitsverhalten als Personen der Wohlstandsgruppe vorweisen. Panelanalysen bestätigen diese Befunde nur teilweise. Dauerhaftes Verbleiben in Armut oder im niedrigen Sozialstatus führt zu stärkeren kausalen Effekten als eine kurze Armutserfahrung. Auch unterscheidet sich das Verhalten von Männern und Frauen stark voneinander.

Studies in the area of health economics and public health have shown that low socioeconomic status (SES) and poverty are related to lower levels of health. Attempts to explain these differences have often made reference to the observation that poor health behaviours cluster in low SES respectively poverty groups. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the defining concept of SES and its appropriate measurement. Therefore data from the German Socio-Economic Panel are used to analyse the relationship between two multidimensional measurements to describe a) poverty respectively b) a low SES and health behaviour, including dietary behaviour, weight status and health behaviour in general. This study shows that both multidimensional indicators allow identifying an inverse relationship between low SES respectively poverty and several types of health behaviour. However, comparing both indicators it is evident that individuals may be affected by poverty in different ways which has various effects on their health behaviour. Additionally, future research should focus not only on multidimensional poverty measurements but also on dynamic effects.

The purpose of this master thesis is to examine whether there is a relationship between physical activity of German adolescents (11-17 years old) and their food consumption. According to the literature adolescents living in Germany and other western industrial nations do not often meet the recommendations for food consumption, physical activity and media use. A further question is whether healthy and unhealty lifestyles can exist at the same time. The objective of the following multivariate data analysis which is based on the data of the German children and youth health survey of Germany (KiGGS) is to test the relationship between food consumption and activity behaviour. The main results of the analysis show that unhealthy and healthy behaviour can exist at the same time, too. E.g. Boys and girls, who are very active, but use media more than recommended score highest in the amount of fast food consumption. In contrast, adolescents (boys and girls) who reach the recommendations for physical activity and media use show the highest consumption of milk and dairy products and fruits. Less active adolescents with high media use were found to consume the highest amount of softdrinks. Boys of this group eat least vegetables as well as milk and dairy products while girls consume least fruits. Thus, the results show that a lifestyle corresponding to the recommendations for activity behaviour is related to a favourable food choice. The information for political strategies is that it would be useful to establish all-day schools in Germany with offers for healthy lunch and sports.