Which of the following is NOT a social determinant of health?

• A. Internet access
• B. Safe neighborhoods & transportation
• C. Pollutants
• D. Access to nutritious food & physical activity

Answer: (D)

Social determinants are the external conditions that shape health outcomes—things in people’s environments and systems that affect their opportunities, resources, and risks. Internet access counts as a determinant because having or lacking access can influence information, services, and means to stay healthy. Safe neighborhoods and transportation are determinants because where you live and how you get around affect safety, access to care, groceries, and daily activities. Pollutants are environmental exposures that impact health outcomes and are shaped by policies, industry, and neighborhood conditions.

Access to nutritious food and opportunities for physical activity, while closely tied to health, are typically described as personal health behaviors and lifestyle choices rather than structural conditions. They reflect what a person does within the given environment, rather than the external conditions themselves. That’s why this option is considered not a social determinant in this framing.