title: Lifecourse educational status in relation to weight gain in African American women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Childhood disadvantage has been associated with increased risk of obesity from childhood through adulthood and those who are disadvantaged across the lifecourse are at highest risk. The effect of lifecourse socioeconomic status (SES) is particularly important for Black women due to the higher prevalence of low SES and obesity in Black compared to White women. We assessed associations of lifecourse SES, as indicated by educational status, with adult weight in African American women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the associations of parental education, current education (education of participant or her spouse), and a combination of parental and current education (lifecourse education) with weight gain among 21,457 women aged < 55 years in the longitudinal Black Women's Health Study, which began in 1995.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated the mean difference in weight gain between age 18 and age in 2009, and risk ratios for obesity in 2009, in each level of education compared to the highest level (college graduate).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age- and height-adjusted differences in mean weight gain for the lowest levels of parental and current education compared to the highest levels were 3.29 and 4.49 kg, respectively. The age-adjusted risk ratios for obesity for the lowest level of parental and current education were 1.44 (95% CI 1.32-1.57) and 1.75 (95% CI 1.57-1.95), respectively. Risk of obesity was lowest among those with current education of college graduate, regardless of parental education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Educational level of college graduate may overcome the adverse effects of low parental education on weight gain and obesity risk.
authors: Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. pcoogan@bu.edu
authors: Patricia E
authors: PE
authors: Coogan
authors: Lauren A
authors: LA
authors: Wise
authors: Yvette C
authors: YC
authors: Cozier
authors: Julie R
authors: JR
authors: Palmer
authors: Lynn
authors: L
authors: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000208:ethnology*; D055815:Young Adult