ABSTRACT
One aspect of inequality is determined by the life span. Our physical vitality tends to be optimal when young but that early period of life has also been linked to particular existential challenges. Identity confusion and fears of leaving childhood behind are common in the teenage years. The example of anorexia is given to illustrate this point. At the other end of the life span, old age brings with it declining physical health, in a context of loss of social status, when people who are in work retire. We consider how age intersects with other social variables, such as sex and class to shape health inequalities at vulnerable points in the life span.
