title: Area-level socioeconomic status, adiposity, physical activity, and inflammation in young adults, 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We assessed the independent effects of socioeconomic status, sex, adiposity, and physical activity on C-reactive protein in young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the fall semester of their first year, college students (n = 177; mean age, 18.1 y; 66.7% female; 65.5% white) were assessed for adiposity via dual x-ray absorptiometry, physical activity via accelerometer, and serum C-reactive protein. Area-level socioeconomic status was based on self-reported home zip code. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to assess the relationship of sex, adiposity, and physical activity on the dependent variable of C-reactive protein, with participants nested within geographic regions of similar socioeconomic characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C-reactive protein was positively associated with adiposity and inversely associated with socioeconomic status (both P < .05). Area-level socioeconomic status explained 28.2% of the variance in C-reactive protein. Adiposity was significantly associated with C-reactive protein in the full model (P = .006); physical activity was not associated with C-reactive protein (P = .48), and area-level socioeconomic status approached significance (P = .05) within the age range of our analysis after accounting for the variance explained by adiposity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significant positive association between adiposity and C-reactive protein suggests that young adults with higher adiposity have higher C-reactive protein levels after accounting for area-level socioeconomic status, sex, and physical activity.
authors: Department of Kinesiology, Office 101B, 330 River Rd, Ramsey Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-6554. E-mail: fedew1mv@uga.edu.
authors: Michael V
authors: MV
authors: Fedewa
authors: East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors: Bhibha M
authors: BM
authors: Das
authors: University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
authors: Ronald L
authors: RL
authors: Forehand
authors: University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
authors: Ellen M
authors: EM
authors: Evans
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D057566:Self Report; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein