title: Mediating pathways between parental socio-economic position and allostatic load in mid-life: Findings from the 1958 British birth cohort.
abstract: Understanding how human environments affect our health by "getting under the skin" and penetrating the cells, organs and physiological systems of our bodies is a key tenet in public health research. Here, we examine the idea that early life socioeconomic position (SEP) can be biologically embodied, potentially leading to the production of health inequalities across population groups. Allostatic load (AL), a composite measure of overall physiological wear-and-tear, could allow for a better understanding of the potential biological pathways playing a role in the construction of the social gradient in adult health. We investigate the factors mediating the link between two components of parental SEP, maternal education (ME) and parental occupation (PO), and AL at 44 years. Data was used from 7573 members of the 1958 British birth cohort follow-up to age 44. AL was constructed using 14 biomarkers representing four physiological systems. We assessed the contribution of financial/materialist, psychological/psychosocial, educational, and health behaviors/BMI pathways over the life course, in mediating the associations between ME, PO and AL. ME and PO were mediated by three pathways: educational, material/financial, and health behaviors, for both men and women. A better understanding of embodiment processes leading to disease development may contribute to developing adapted public policies aiming to reduce health inequalities.
authors.affiliation: LEASP, UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France; Universidad de Costa Rica, 2060 San José, Costa Rica. Electronic address: cristina.barboza-solis@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barboza Solís
authors.affiliation: LEASP, UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fantin
authors.affiliation: LEASP, UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France.
authors.forename: Raphaële
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castagné
authors.affiliation: LEASP, UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: LEASP, UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France.
authors.forename: Cyrille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delpierre
authors.affiliation: LEASP, UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kelly-Irving
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D052636:Allostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004739:England; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D057566:Self Report; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005340:Fibrinogen; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Allostatic load; Cohort; Embodiment; Maternal education; Parental occupation; Parental socioeconomic position