Social and material adversity from adolescence to adulthood and allostatic load in middle-aged women and men: results from the Northern Swedish Cohort.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Little is known about the theoretically assumed association between adversity exposure over the life course and allostatic load in adulthood.

Purpose

This study aims to examine whether social and material adversity over the life course is related to allostatic load in mid-adulthood.

Methods

A 27-year prospective Swedish cohort (N = 822; 77% response rate) reported exposure to social and material adversities at age 16, 21, 30 and 43 years. At age 43, allostatic load was operationalized based on 12 biological parameters.

Results

Social adversity accumulated over the life course was related to allostatic load in both women and men, independently of cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage. Moreover, social adversity in adolescence (in women) and young adul

SUBMITTER: Gustafsson PE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3274686 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature