Dataset Information

Does an elite education benefit health? Findings from the 1970 British Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Attending private school or a higher-status university is thought to benefit future earnings and occupational opportunities. We examined whether these measures were beneficially related to health and selected health-related behaviours in midlife.

Methods

Data were from up to 9799 participants from the 1970 British birth Cohort Study. The high school attended (private, grammar or state) was ascertained at 16 years, and the university attended reported at 42 years [categorised as either higher (Russell Group) or normal-status institutions]. Self-reported health, limiting illness and body mass index (BMI) were reported at 42 years, along with television viewing, take-away meal consumption, physical inactivity, smoking and high risk alcohol drinking. Associations were examined using multiple regression models, adjusted for gender and childhood socioeconomic, health and cognitive measures.

Results

Private school and higher status university attendance were associated with favourable self-rated health and lower BMI, and beneficially associated with health-related-behaviours. For example, private school attendance was associated with 0.56 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48, 0.65] odds of lower self-rated health [odds ratio (OR) for higher-status university: 0.32 (0.27, 0.37)]. Associations were largely attenuated by adjustment for potential confounders, except for those of private schooling and higher-status university attendance with lower BMI and television viewing, and less frequent take-away meal consumption.

Conclusions

Private school and higher-status university attendance were related to better self-rated health, lower BMI and multiple favourable health behaviours in midlife. Findings suggest that type or status of education may be an important under-researched construct to consider when documenting and understanding socioeconomic inequalities in health.

SUBMITTER: Bann D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5407151 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Does an elite education benefit health? Findings from the 1970 British Cohort Study.

Bann David D Hamer Mark M Parsons Sam S Ploubidis George B GB Sullivan Alice A

International journal of epidemiology 20170201 1

<h4>Background</h4>Attending private school or a higher-status university is thought to benefit future earnings and occupational opportunities. We examined whether these measures were beneficially related to health and selected health-related behaviours in midlife.<h4>Methods</h4>Data were from up to 9799 participants from the 1970 British birth Cohort Study. The high school attended (private, grammar or state) was ascertained at 16 years, and the university attended reported at 42 years [catego ...[more]

PMID: 27170767

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Project description:BackgroundPrevious research indicated that birth order was associated with physical health outcomes in adulthood. However, evidence on its association with mental health was lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate if birth order was associated with mental wellbeing and psychological distress at mid-life, stratified by gender, and taking into account confounding factors in childhood and adulthood.MethodThe sample consisted of 9,354 participants of the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). The Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), the Malaise Index and attending a doctor's consultation in the past year for a mental health issue at age forty-two were used to assess mental wellbeing and psychological distress in midlife. Birth order was ascertained via a parental questionnaire and referred to the numerical birth position of the participants. The associations between birth order, mental wellbeing and psychological distress were tested using linear and logistic regression adjusting for birth characteristics: smoking during pregnancy, maternal age, mother's marital status, father's employment, region of birth, parental years of education and parental social class, and factors at age 42: years of education, employment status and partnership status. Potential mediating variables including breastfeeding and birthweight at birth and parental separation and conduct disorder measured at age ten were also taken into account.ResultsWe find no evidence to support an association between birth order and midlife psychological distress or attending a doctor's consultation in both men and women. In unadjusted analysis, there was an association between birth order four and above and a reduced WEMWBS score of -0.79 (95% CI -1.57, -0.02) in men only. This association was attenuated after adjusting for birth characteristics and mediators at birth (0.86, 95% -1.78, 0.07) but was maintained once conduct disorder at age 10 was accounted for (-1.19, 95% CI -2.28, -0.09). However, this association was attenuated once again after adjusting for employment status, years in education and partnership status in adulthood (-1.04, 95% CI -2.11, 0.03).ConclusionsIn this study, birth order was not associated with psychological distress or having a mental health issue at midlife. Accounting for employment status, years of education and partnership status in adulthood attenuated the relationship between birth order and mental wellbeing.

Project description:BackgroundMuscle weakness is a key criterion for important age-related conditions, including sarcopenia and frailty. Research suggests lower childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) may be associated with muscle weakness in later life but there is little evidence on associations in younger adults closer to peak muscle strength. We aimed to examine relationships between indicators of SEP in childhood and adulthood and grip strength at age 46y.MethodsWe examined 7,617 participants from the 1970 British Cohort Study with grip strength measurements at 46y. We used sex-specific linear regression models to test associations between five different indicators of SEP in childhood and adulthood (paternal occupational class and parental education levels at age 5 and own occupational class and education level at age 46) and maximum grip strength. Models were adjusted for birth weight, BMI in childhood and adulthood, adult height, disability in childhood, leisure-time physical activity in childhood and adulthood, sedentary behaviour in childhood and adulthood, occupational activity and smoking at age 46.ResultsAmong women, lower SEP in childhood and adulthood was associated with weaker grip strength even after adjustments for covariates. For example, in fully-adjusted models, women whose mothers had no qualifications at age five had mean grip strength 0.99 kg (95% CI: -1.65, -0.33) lower than women whose mothers were educated to degree and higher. Among men, lower levels of father's education and both adult SEP indicators were associated with stronger grip. The association between own occupational class and grip strength deviated from linearity; men in skilled-manual occupations (i.e. the middle occupational group) had stronger grip than men in the highest occupational group (Difference in means: 1.33 kg (0.60, 2.06)) whereas there was no difference in grip strength between the highest and lowest occupational groups. Adjustment for occupational activity largely attenuated these associations.ConclusionFindings highlight the need to identify age and sex-specific interventions across life to tackle inequalities in important age-related conditions related to weakness.

Project description:BackgroundOngoing rises in obesity prevalence have prompted growing concerns about potential increases in the burden of age-related musculoskeletal conditions including sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. This is of particular concern for future generations of older adults who have lived more of their lives in an obesogenic environment than current generations of older adults. We aimed to study longitudinal associations between body mass index (BMI) and grip strength in midlife using data from a large population-based sample, the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70).MethodsBCS70 participants with valid measures of maximum grip strength at age 46 years were included in analyses [3671 males (49%) and 3876 females (51%)]. Using sex-specific linear regression models, we examined associations of (i) BMI at ages 10, 16, 30, and 46 years; (ii) body fat percentage (BF%) and waist-hip ratio at age 46 years; (iii) BMI gains between 10-16, 16-30, and 30-46; and (iv) age at onset of obesity, with grip strength.ResultsAt age 46 years, mean (standard deviation) grip strength was 48.10 kg (8.98) in males and 29.61 kg (5.81) in females. Higher BMI at all ages was associated with stronger grip, and the scale of associations was greater in males than females from age 16 onwards (Psex interactions < 0.01). For example, in fully adjusted models, a 1 standard deviation increase in BMI at age 16 was associated with mean differences in grip strength at age 46 years of 1.41 kg (95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.75) in males and 0.72 kg (0.53, 0.91) in females. Higher BF% at age 46 was also associated with stronger grip in both sexes. Greater gains in BMI between ages 10 and 16 were associated with stronger grip in both sexes, but subsequent gains in BMI were only associated with stronger grip in males. Associations of greater length of exposure to obesity and stronger grip were also more consistent among males than females. For example, in fully adjusted models, mean grip strength at age 46 years of males and females who had been obese since age 10 or 16 years was 4.39 kg (1.85, 6.93) and 1.25 kg (-0.18, 2.69) higher than males and females who had never been obese, respectively.ConclusionsHigher BMI from childhood onwards is associated with stronger grip at age 46 years. This suggests that, at this age, anabolic effects of fat on muscle are outweighing the catabolic effects thought to lead to the manifestation of sarcopenic obesity later in life, especially among men. Midlife may be an optimal time to intervene to prevent sarcopenic obesity.

Project description:BackgroundWe examined the association between family-related life events (cohabitation/marriage and becoming a parent) and change in physical activity.MethodsLongitudinal data (n = 8045) from the 1970 British Cohort Study (30 and 34 years) were included. Life events (beginning cohabitation/marriage and becoming a parent) were reported and coded: 0 no, 1 yes, for each event occurring between 30 and 34 years. Participants reported frequency of participation in leisure-time physical activity at 30 and 34 years (Likert scale: mean change calculated ranging between - 4 and 4). Linear regression models were used to examine the association between life events and physical activity change (comparing individuals experiencing events between 30 and 34 years versus never experiencing the event - excluding participants that experienced previous events - with a final analysis sample of n = 3833 in parenthood analysis; n = 1137 in cohabitation analysis). Interaction terms were used to analyse combined parenthood and cohabitation status. Analyses were adjusted for level of education achieved, ethnicity, country of origin and other life events. ANCOVA was used to examine associations between change in physical activity and child age.ResultsCompared to remaining without children, becoming a parent was associated with a greater reduction in physical activity among men [β:-0.234(95%CI:-0.396 to - 0.072)] but not women [0.126(- 0.048;0.301)]. No associations were found between cohabitation and physical activity. Men who became fathers both while cohabitating [- 0.201(- 0.383;-0.020)] and without cohabiting [- 0.937(- 1.623;-0.250)] experienced greater physical activity declines than those remaining single and without children; the decline was greatest among non-cohabiting fathers. These associations did not differ by child age.ConclusionsParenthood appears to differentially impact physical activity for men and women; this association also differs by cohabitation status. Parenthood appears to be most detrimental to physical activity levels among men. Interventions for physical activity could target new or soon-to-be parents, especially fathers. Further analyses with device-measured physical activity data would be valuable to advance understanding of these associations.

Project description:ObjectivesChildren with experience of out-of-home care (OHC) are at an increased risk of adverse outcomes in later life, including poorer levels of psycho-social adjustment. Less is known about the intergenerational transmission of the trauma associated with OHC and psychosocial outcomes in mid-adulthood, particularly during a major health pandemic.DesignTo examine if there is evidence of intergenerational transmission of trauma associated with OHC in mid-adulthood, we used data from the 1970 British Cohort Study 2020 COVID-19 Survey.ParticipantsCases were defined as cohort members (CMs) who had themselves experienced OHC (OHC1) and those whose mother reported to have been in OHC (OHC2). Among the 5320 CMs who participated in the second COVID-19 Survey, we have OHC information for n=4236. Our analytical samples range from n=2472 to 3864 depending on outcome: the largest sample comprised 105 (2.5%) CMs with direct OHC experience (OHC1), 93 (2.2%) CMs with a mother who had OHC experience (OHC2) and 3666 CMs with no OHC experience (OHC0).Outcome measuresSelf-reported outcomes at age 50 included indicators of depression, health and psychological well-being. Multivariate logistic regression models control for socioeconomic childhood background and current circumstances.ResultsCompared with the majority OHC0, the OHC1 group report higher levels of depression (OR 2.18 (95% CI 1.09 to 4.36) p<.05) and are at a greater risk of poor mental (OR 2.23 (95% CI 1.24 to 4.02) p<0.01) and general health (OR 3.32 (95% CI 1.65 to 6.67) p<0.001) during the pandemic. OHC2 was more than twice as likely to report poor mental health prepandemic (OR 2.52 (95% CI 1.37 to 4.64) p<0.01), but not during the pandemic.ConclusionChildren of care leaver mothers (OHC2) appear to be better adjusted than those who were themselves in care (OHC1), although compared with those without care experience (OHC0) both groups had an increased risk of poorer adult outcomes. However, the findings point to both continuity and discontinuity of disadvantage.

Dataset Information

Does an elite education benefit health? Findings from the 1970 British Cohort Study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Does an elite education benefit health? Findings from the 1970 British Cohort Study.

Similar Datasets

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