title: Relative contribution of health-related behaviours and chronic diseases to the socioeconomic patterning of low-grade inflammation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the association of low-grade inflammation with socioeconomic status (SES) and determine the relative contribution of prevalent chronic diseases and health-related behaviours in explaining such association.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis on 19,867 subjects (age ≥35, 48.1% men) recruited within the Moli-sani study from 2005 to 2010 (Italy). A score of low-grade inflammation, including platelet and leukocyte counts, the granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein was applied. SES was measured by education, household income, and occupational social class.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low SES was associated with elevated levels of low-grade inflammation. Health behaviours (including adiposity, smoking, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence) explained 53.5, 53.9, and 84.9% of the association between social class, income, and education with low-grade inflammation, respectively. Adiposity and body mass index showed a prominent role, while prevalent chronic diseases and conditions only marginally attenuated SES inequalities in inflammation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-grade inflammation was socioeconomically patterned in a large Mediterranean population. Potentially modifiable behavioural factors explained the greatest part of this association with a leading contribution of adiposity, body mass index, and physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy. marialaura.bonaccio@neuromed.it.
authors.forename: Marialaura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonaccio
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Castelnuovo
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pounis
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Curtis
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Persichillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Benedetta
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Gaetano
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo NEUROMED, Via dell'Elettronica, 86077, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iacoviello
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking; D012923:Social Class
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Chronic diseases; Health-related behaviours; Low-grade inflammation; Moli-sani study; Socioeconomic status