Table 6 Definition of socio-economic variables

Household affluence

Four groups of Households have been considered defined according to ranking of “revenue per consumption unit”, proposed by OECD and calculated with the following:

\( Per\; capita\; income=\frac{Net\; Household\; Income}{1+0,7*\left( household\; size- number\; of\; children-1\right)+0,5* number\; of\; children} \)

Breakouts: (i) low affluence, 20%; (ii) below-average affluence 30%; (iii) above average affluence 30%; (iv) high affluence, 20%.

Types of families

Pre Families:

– i) Households with one member under 35 years old.

– ii) Household with 2 or more members with the housewife aged under 35 years, and with no children under 18 years of age.

New Families:

– Households with children under 6 years of age only.

Maturing Families:

– Households with children aged 0–17 years, and not all aged less than 6 years, or all aged above 10 years (i.e. not in categories 2 or 4).

Established Families:

– Households with children aged 11–17 only.

Post Families:

– i) Households with one member aged between 35 and 54 years.

– ii) Household with 2 or more members, with the housewife aged between 35 and 54 years, and with no children under 18 years of age.

Older Couples:

– Household with 2 or more members, with the housewife aged 55+, and with no children under 18 years of age.

Older Singles:

– Households with one member aged 55+ years.