The existence of social health inequalities is no longer a matter of debate in France: these inequalities persist and are even widening. At age 35, male executives have a life expectancy of 47 years, which is six years longer than that of manual laborers. Executives also enjoy a better quality of life, with a life expectancy free of disability or impairment that is ten years longer than that of manual laborers. These inequalities are particularly glaring and on the rise for certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, the prevalence of which in France in 2006 was 3.5 times higher among the poorest people than among the wealthiest. Certain risky behaviors, such as tobacco and alcohol use—which are more common among people of lower socioeconomic status—are implicated in these disparities in mortality and morbidity, but they do not, on their own, account for their full extent. These differences could also result from lower utilization of the healthcare system and reduced access to follow-up and screening among the poorest individuals. Nutrition, one of the major determinants of health, is also considered a contributing factor to social health inequalities. Numerous epidemiological studies conducted in the United States, Canada, and Europe have indeed highlighted significant social inequalities in terms of dietary intake and nutritional intake. Whether individuals’ socioeconomic status is measured by socioeconomic category, income, or educational attainment, all these studies show more pronounced dietary imbalances among populations with low socioeconomic status. Refined starchy foods (particularly white bread), potatoes, rice, and pasta are consumed in greater quantities by the least affluent populations; conversely, the healthiest foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole-grain bread, lean meats, fish, and shellfish, are hallmarks of the diets of the most affluent populations. These differences in consumption are accompanied by a very clear social gradient in the intake of fiber and essential micronutrients, such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folate. In France, several surveys have confirmed these trends.[chapter excerpt]