A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Early exposure to social disadvantages and later life body mass index beyond genetic predisposition in three generations of Finnish birth cohorts
Authors: Estelle Lowry, Nina Rautio, Niko Wasenius, Tom A. Bond, Jari Lahti, Ioanna Tzoulaki, Abbas Dehghan, Anni Heiskala, Leena Ala-Mursula, Jouko Miettunen, Johan Eriksson, Marjo-Riitta Järvelin, Sylvain Sebert
Publisher: BMC
Publication year: 2020
Journal: BMC Public Health
Journal name in source: BMC PUBLIC HEALTH
Journal acronym: BMC PUBLIC HEALTH
Volume: 20
Issue: 708
Number of pages: 12
eISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08763-w
Web address : https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-020-08763-w
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/48442868
BackgroundThe study aimed to explore the association between early life and life-course exposure to social disadvantage and later life body mass index (BMI) accounting for genetic predisposition and maternal BMI.MethodsWe studied participants of Helsinki Birth Cohort Study born in 1934-1944 (HBCS1934-1944, n=1277) and Northern Finland Birth Cohorts born in 1966 and 1986 (NFBC1966, n=5807, NFBC1986, n=6717). Factor analysis produced scores of social disadvantage based on social and economic elements in early life and adulthood/over the life course, and was categorized as high, intermediate and low. BMI was measured at 62years in HBCS1934-1944, at 46years in NFBC1966 and at 16years in NFBC1986. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to explore associations between social disadvantages and BMI after adjustments for polygenic risk score for BMI (PRS BMI), maternal BMI and sex.ResultsThe association between exposure to high early social disadvantage and increased later life BMI persisted after adjustments (beta = 0.79, 95% CI, 0.33, 1.25, p<0.001) in NFBC1966. In NFBC1986 this association was attenuated by PRS BMI (p=0.181), and in HBCS1934-1944 there was no association between high early social disadvantage and increased later life BMI (beta 0.22, 95% CI -0.91,1.35, p=0.700). In HBCS1934-1944 and NFBC1966, participants who had reduced their exposure to social disadvantage during the life-course had lower later life BMI than those who had increased their exposure (beta -1.34, [-2.37,-0.31], p=0.011; beta -0.46, [-0.89,-0.03], p=0.038, respectively).ConclusionsHigh social disadvantage in early life appears to be associated with higher BMI in later life. Reducing exposure to social disadvantage during the life-course may be a potential pathway for obesity reduction.
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