Role of socioeconomic indicators on development of obesity from a life course perspective.
OBJECTIVE
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/m(2).


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Salonen
Minna K
MK
Department of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, 00300 Helsinki, Finland.
Kajantie
Eero
E
Osmond
Clive
C
Forsén
Tom
T
Ylihärsilä
Hilkka
H
Paile-Hyvärinen
Maria
M
Barker
David J P
DJ
Eriksson
Johan G
JG
D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors