title: Early changes in socioeconomic status do not predict changes in body mass in the first decade of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies link childhood socioeconomic status (SES) to body mass index (BMI), but few account for the impact of socioeconomic mobility throughout the lifespan.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the impact of socioeconomic mobility on changes in BMI in childhood. Analyses tested whether [1] socioeconomic status influences BMI, [2] changes in socioeconomic status impact changes in BMI, and [3] timing of socioeconomic status mobility impacts BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary data spanning birth to age 9 were analyzed. SES and BMI were investigated with gender, birth weight, maternal race/ethnicity, and maternal nativity as covariates. Autoregressive structural equation modeling and latent growth modeling were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Socioeconomic status in the first year of life predicted body mass index. Child covariates were consistently associated with body mass index. Rate of change in socioeconomic status did not predict change in body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that early socioeconomic status may most influence body mass in later childhood.
authors.affiliation: The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, USA, Lstarkey@gc.cuny.edu.
authors.forename: Leighann
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Starkey
authors.forename: Tracey A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Revenson
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors