Dataset Information

Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with lower mortality in older Japanese men: the JAGES cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage has been previously linked to increased mortality risk in adulthood. However, most previous studies have focused on middle-aged adults in Western contexts. Here, we sought to examine the association between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and mortality among healthy older Japanese adults.

Methods

We conducted a 3-year follow-up of participants in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), a population-based cohort of 65- to 103-year-old Japanese adults. Childhood SES was assessed by survey at baseline. Mortality from 2010 to 2013 was analysed for 15 449 respondents (7143 men and 8306 women). Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for risk of death.

Results

A total of 754 deaths occurred during the 3-year follow-up. Lower childhood SES was significantly associated with lower mortality in men, but not in women. Compared with men growing up in more advantaged childhood socioeconomic circumstances, the age-adjusted HR for men from low childhood SES backgrounds was 0.75 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-1.00]. The association remained significant after adjustment for height, education, adult SES, municipalities of residence, health behaviours, disease status and current social relationships (HR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.87). This association was stronger among men aged 75 years or older, HR = 0.67 (95% CI: 0.47-0.95), compared with men aged 65-74 years, HR = 0.90 (95% CI: 0.54-1.51).

Conclusions

Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with lower mortality among men aged 75 years or older, which may be due to selective survival, or alternatively to childhood physical training or postwar calorie restriction in this generation of Japanese males.

SUBMITTER: Tani Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5965916 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Previous research has linked lower availability of food stores selling fruits and vegetables to unhealthy diet. However, the longitudinal association between the availability of healthy food stores and mortality is unknown. This study examined the association between neighborhood availability of food stores and mortality by driving status among older adults. METHODS:This study drew upon a three-year follow up of participants in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a population-based cohort study of Japanese adults aged 65 years or older. Mortality from 2010 to 2013 was analyzed for 49,511 respondents. Neighborhood availability of food stores was defined as the number of food stores selling fruits and vegetables within a 500-m or 1-km radius of a person's residence. Both subjective (participant-reported) and objective (geographic information system-based) measurements were used to assess this variable. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for mortality. RESULTS:A total of 2049 deaths occurred during the follow up. Lower subjective availability of food stores was significantly associated with increased mortality. Compared with participants reporting the highest availability, the age- and sex-adjusted HR for those reporting the lowest availability was 1.28 (95% CI: 1.04-1.58; p?=?0.02). The association remained significant after adjustment for sociodemographic (education, income, cohabitation, marital status, and employment status) and environmental (driving status, use of public transportation, and study site) status (HR?=?1.24, 95% CI: 1.01-1.53, p?=?0.04). This association was stronger among non-car users, among whom the HR for those reporting the lowest availability of food stores was 1.61 (95% CI: 1.08-2.41, p?=?0.02). In contrast, no significant association was seen between objective availability and mortality. CONCLUSIONS:Lower availability of healthy food stores measured subjectively, but not objectively, was associated with mortality, especially among non-car users. Considering the decline in mobility with age, living in a neighborhood with many options for procuring fruits and vegetables within walking distance may be important for healthy aging.