title: Life-Course Partnership Status and Biomarkers in Midlife: Evidence From the 1958 British Birth Cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the association between trajectories of partnership status over the life course and objectively measured health indicators in midlife.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from 4 waves (1981, 1991, 2000, and 2002-2004) of the British National Child Development Study (NCDS), a prospective cohort study that includes all people born in Britain during 1 week in March 1958 (n = 18 558).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for selection attributable to early-life and early-adulthood characteristics, we found that life-course trajectories of partnership status were associated with hemostatic and inflammatory markers, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and respiratory function in midlife. Never marrying or cohabiting was negatively associated with health in midlife for both genders, but the effect was more pronounced in men. Women who had married in their late 20s or early 30s and remained married had the best health in midlife. Men and women in cohabiting unions had midlife health outcomes similar to those in formal marriages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partnership status over the life course has a cumulative effect on a wide range of objectively measured health indicators in midlife.
authors.affiliation: George B. Ploubidis is with the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL - Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK. Richard J. Silverwood and Bianca DeStavola are with the Centre for Statistical Methodology, Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London. Emily Grundy is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: George B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Ploubidis
authors.affiliation: George B. Ploubidis is with the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL - Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK. Richard J. Silverwood and Bianca DeStavola are with the Centre for Statistical Methodology, Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London. Emily Grundy is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Silverwood
authors.affiliation: George B. Ploubidis is with the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL - Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK. Richard J. Silverwood and Bianca DeStavola are with the Centre for Statistical Methodology, Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London. Emily Grundy is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: DeStavola
authors.affiliation: George B. Ploubidis is with the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL - Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK. Richard J. Silverwood and Bianca DeStavola are with the Centre for Statistical Methodology, Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London. Emily Grundy is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grundy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012847:Single Person / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator