title: Combined effect of education and reproductive history on weight trajectories of young Australian women: A longitudinal study.
abstract: To investigate the combined effect of education and reproductive history on weight trajectory.
  
  
  
  The association of education with weight trajectory (1996-2012) in relation to reproductive history was analyzed among 9,336 women (born 1973-1978) from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health using random effects models.
  
  
  
  Compared with women with a university degree/higher, lower-educated women were 2 kg heavier at baseline and gained an additional 0.24 kg/year. Giving birth was associated with an increase in weight which was more pronounced among women having their first birth <26 years of age (2.1 kg, 95% CI: 1.5-2.7), compared with 26 to 32 years or >32 years. While younger first-time mothers had a steeper weight trajectory (∼+0.16 kg/year, 95% CI: 0.1-0.3), this was less steep among lower-educated women. High-educated women with a second birth between 26 and 32 years had 0.9 kg decreased weight after this birth, while low-educated women gained 0.9 kg.
  
  
  
  While the effect of having children on weight in young adulthood was minimal, women having their first birth <26 years of age had increased risk of weight gain, particularly primiparous women. Educational differences in weight persisted after accounting for reproductive history, suggesting a need to explore alternative mechanisms through which social differences in weight are generated.
authors: Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Research, School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. natalie.holowko@uq.net.au.
authors: Natalie
authors: 0000-0002-9124-3264
authors: N
authors: Holowko
authors: Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Research, School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Jones
authors: Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS), Stockholm University/Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.|Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Ilona
authors: I
authors: Koupil
authors: Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Research, School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors: Leigh
authors: L
authors: Tooth
authors: Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Research, School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors: Gita
authors: G
authors: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009035:Mothers; D010298:Parity / Q000502:physiology; D017584:Reproductive History; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult