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Role of socioeconomic indicators on development of obesity from a lifecourse perspective

Role of socioeconomic indicators on development of obesity from a lifecourse perspective
Role of socioeconomic indicators on development of obesity from a lifecourse perspective
Aims: Development of obesity is modified by several factors, including socioeconomic ones. We studied the importance of socioeconomic indicators on the development of obesity from a life course perspective. Methods. 2003 people born 1934–1944 in Helsinki, Finland, participated in clinical examinations in 2001–2004. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) >30?kg/m2. Results. Prevalence of obesity was 22.3% in men and 27.2% in women. Lower educational attainment and lower adult social class were associated with higher BMI in both men (P=.03 and P<.01) and women (P<.001 and P=.01). Childhood social class was inversely associated with BMI only in men (P<.001); lower household income was associated with higher BMI in women only (P<.001). Those men belonging to the lowest childhood social class had higher risk of being obese than those of the highest childhood social class (OR 1.8 (95% CI: 1.0–3.1)). Household income was the strongest predictor of obesity among women. Conclusion. Overweight and obesity are inversely associated with socioeconomic status. Men seem to be more susceptible to adverse childhood socioeconomic circumstances than women, while adult socioeconomic indicators were more strongly associated with obesity in women.
1687-9805
Salonen, Minna K.
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Kajantie, Eero
d68d55b6-6df1-4195-a914-44c738a6db93
Osmond, Clive
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Forsén, Tom
71e12224-d830-4202-9b7c-ee8fe47a4d54
Yliharsila, Hilkka
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Paile-Hyvarinen, Maria
d52a542b-21e2-4545-aae5-ecc86a6f66f7
Barker, David J.P.
5c773838-b094-4ac1-999b-b5869717f243
Eriksson, Johan G.
eb96b1c5-af07-4a52-8a73-7541451d32cd
Salonen, Minna K.
0b0a4f25-62d7-4b6e-9716-a68c3ad7988b
Kajantie, Eero
d68d55b6-6df1-4195-a914-44c738a6db93
Osmond, Clive
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Forsén, Tom
71e12224-d830-4202-9b7c-ee8fe47a4d54
Yliharsila, Hilkka
43f42eb3-57cf-4a49-af0f-6672525f23d5
Paile-Hyvarinen, Maria
d52a542b-21e2-4545-aae5-ecc86a6f66f7
Barker, David J.P.
5c773838-b094-4ac1-999b-b5869717f243
Eriksson, Johan G.
eb96b1c5-af07-4a52-8a73-7541451d32cd

Salonen, Minna K., Kajantie, Eero, Osmond, Clive, Forsén, Tom, Yliharsila, Hilkka, Paile-Hyvarinen, Maria, Barker, David J.P. and Eriksson, Johan G. (2009) Role of socioeconomic indicators on development of obesity from a lifecourse perspective. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2009 (625168). (doi:10.1155/2009/625168).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Aims: Development of obesity is modified by several factors, including socioeconomic ones. We studied the importance of socioeconomic indicators on the development of obesity from a life course perspective. Methods. 2003 people born 1934–1944 in Helsinki, Finland, participated in clinical examinations in 2001–2004. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) >30?kg/m2. Results. Prevalence of obesity was 22.3% in men and 27.2% in women. Lower educational attainment and lower adult social class were associated with higher BMI in both men (P=.03 and P<.01) and women (P<.001 and P=.01). Childhood social class was inversely associated with BMI only in men (P<.001); lower household income was associated with higher BMI in women only (P<.001). Those men belonging to the lowest childhood social class had higher risk of being obese than those of the highest childhood social class (OR 1.8 (95% CI: 1.0–3.1)). Household income was the strongest predictor of obesity among women. Conclusion. Overweight and obesity are inversely associated with socioeconomic status. Men seem to be more susceptible to adverse childhood socioeconomic circumstances than women, while adult socioeconomic indicators were more strongly associated with obesity in women.

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More information

Published date: June 2009
Additional Information: Clinical study

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 79889
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/79889
ISSN: 1687-9805
PURE UUID: 0265e681-bd73-46b3-8f46-27f5f8a18225
ORCID for Clive Osmond: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9054-4655

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Date deposited: 22 Mar 2010
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:38

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Contributors

Author: Minna K. Salonen
Author: Eero Kajantie
Author: Clive Osmond ORCID iD
Author: Tom Forsén
Author: Hilkka Yliharsila
Author: Maria Paile-Hyvarinen
Author: David J.P. Barker
Author: Johan G. Eriksson

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