Child physical development in the UK: The imprint of time and socioeconomic status

Apouey, Bénédicte H. (2016): Child physical development in the UK: The imprint of time and socioeconomic status. Forthcoming in: Public Health

Abstract

Objectives. Social health inequalities remain a key policy challenge. The existing literature has not presented a synthetic view on the evolution of inequalities in physical development across childhood. We examine social disparities as children grow older using a range of different outcomes.

Study design. Population-based secondary data analysis.

Methods. We employ longitudinal data on British children ages 9 months to 12 years from the Millennium Cohort Study (N=13,811-18,987) and focus on multiple child physical measures: weight, BMI, overweight, fat mass, and waist circumference.

Results. Higher family income is associated with lower BMI (for females), less body fat, and a smaller likelihood of overweight (for both genders) on average throughout childhood. When income is multiplied by three, the probability of overweight decreases by 2.8 (95% CI -0.041 to -0.016) percentage points for females and by 2.7 (95% CI -0.038 to -0.016) percentage points for males. Social inequalities in weight, BMI, overweight, and body fat significantly widen as children grow older, for both genders. For instance, for females, when income is multiplied by three, the probability of overweight decreases by 1.6 (95% CI -0.032 to -0.000) percentage points at ages 2-3, but by 8.6 (95% CI -0.112 to -0.060) percentage points at ages 10-12.

Conclusions. The trajectory of social inequalities, which may reflect the cumulative effect of family socioeconomic status, is a precursor of inequalities in adulthood.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Longitudinal Studies; Inequalities; Socioeconomic Status; Child; Physical Development.
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I14 - Health and Inequality; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health

References

Brophy S, Cooksey R, Gravenor MB, Mistry R, Thomas N, Lyons RA, Williams R. Risk factors for childhood obesity at age 5: Analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study. BMC Public Health. 2009;9:467.

Costa-Font J, Gil J. Intergenerational and socioeconomic gradients of child obesity. Soc Sci Med. 2013;93:29-37.

Hawkins SS, Cole TJ, Law C. The Millenium Cohort Study Child Health Group. Maternal employment and early childhood overweight: Findings from the UK Millenium Cohort Study. Int J Obes. 2008;32:30-38.

Lifestyles Statistics Team. National Child Measurement Programme: England, 2014/15 School Year. London; 2015.

Ng Fat L. Children’s body mass index, overweight and obesity. In: HSE 2014. London: Health and Social Care Information; 2015.

Apouey BH, Geoffard P-Y. Le gradient et la transmission intergénérationnelle de la santé pendant l’enfance. Economie et Statistique. 2015;475-476:113-133.

West P. Health inequalities in the early years: Is there equalisation in youth? Soc Sci Med. 1997;44(6):833-858.

West P, Sweeting H. Evidence on equalisation in health in youth from the West of Scotland. Soc Sci Med. 2004;59(1):13-27.

Howe LD, Lawlor DA, Propper C. Trajectories of socioeconomic inequalities in health, behaviours and academic achievement across childhood and adolescence. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2013;67:358-364.

Apouey BH, Geoffard P-Y. Parents’ education and child body weight in France: The trajectory of the gradient in the early years. Econ Hum Biol. 2016;20:70-89.

Murasko JE. Socioeconomic status, height, and child obesity. Econ Hum Biol. 2009;7(3):376-386.

Murasko JE. Associations between household income, height, and BMI in contemporary US schoolchildren. Econ Hum Biol. 2013;11:185-196.

Baum II CL, Ruhm CJ. Age, socioeconomic status and obesity growth. J Health Econ. 2009;28:635-648.

Dex S, Joshi H. Children of the 21st Century: From Birth to Nine Months. Bristol: Policy Press; 2005.

Vidmar SI, Cole TJ, Pan H. Standardizing anthropometric measures in children and adolescents with functions egen: Update. Stata J. 2013;13(2):366-378.

Case A, Lubotsky D, Paxson C. Economic status and health in childhood: The origins of the gradient. Am Econ Rev. 2002;92(5):1308-1334.

Case A, Paxson C, Vogl T. Socioeconomic status and health in childhood: A comment on Chen, Martin and Matthews,“Socioeconomic status and health: Do gradients differ within childhood and adolescence?”(62: 9, 2006, 2161–2170). Soc Sci Med. 2007;64(4):757-761.

Currie J, Stabile M. Socioeconomic status and child health: Why is the relationship stronger for older children? Am Econ Rev. 2003;93(5):1813-1823.

Apouey BH, Geoffard P-Y. Child health and access to health care in France: Evidence on the role of family income. Revue d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique. 2014;62(3):179-190.

Apouey B, Geoffard P-Y. Family income and child health in the UK. J Health Econ. 2013;22(4):715-727.

Propper C, Rigg J, Burgess S. Child health: Evidence on the roles of family income and maternal mental health from a UK birth cohort. Health Econ. 2007;16(11):1245-1269.

Case A, Lee D, Paxson C. The income gradient in children’s health: A comment on Currie, Shields and Wheatley Price. J Health Econ. 2008;27(3):801-807.

Currie A, Shields MA, Price SW. The child health/family income gradient: Evidence from England. J Health Econ. 2007;26(2):213-232.

Pearce A. Will policies in the early years reduce inequalities in health? A synthesis to inform policy. Ph.D. thesis. University College London. 2011.

Kuehnle D. The causal effect of family income on child health in the UK. J Health Econ. 2014;36:137-150.

Griffiths LJ, Sera F, Cortina-Borja M, Law C, Ness A, Dezateux C. Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time: Cross-sectional and prospective associations with adiposity in the Millennium Cohort Study. BMJ Open. 2016;6:e010366.

Ambrosini GL, Emmett PM, Northstone K, Howe LD, Tilling K, Jebb SA. Identification of a dietary pattern prospectively associated with increased adiposity during childhood and adolescence. Int J Obes. 2012;36:1299-1305.

Williams AJ, Henley WE, Williams CA, Hurst AJ, Logan S, Wyatt KM. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between childhood overweight and obesity and primary school diet and physical activity policies. International J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013;10(101).

Biehl A, Hovengen R, Grøholt E-K, Hjelmesæth J, Strand BH, Meyer HE. Parental marital status and childhood overweight and obesity in Norway: A nationally representative cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2014;4:e004502.

Halliday JA, Palma CL, Mellor D, Green J, Renzaho AM. The relationship between family functioning and child and adolescent overweight and obesity: A systematic review. Int J Obes. 2014;38(4):480-493.

Van Rossem L, Hafkamp-de Groen E, Jaddoe VW, Hofman A, Mackenbach JP, Raat H. The role of early life factors in the development of ethnic differences in growth and overweight in preschool children: A prospective birth cohort. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:722.

O’Dea JA. Gender, ethnicity, culture and social class influences on childhood obesity among Australian schoolchildren: Implications for treatment, prevention and community education. Health Soc Care Community. 2008;16(3):282-290.

O’Dea JA, Dibley MJ. Prevalence of obesity, overweight and thinness in Australian children and adolescents by socioeconomic status and ethnic/cultural group in 2006 and 2012. Int J Public Health. 2014;59(5):819-828.

Danielzik S, Czerwinski-Mast, M. Langnäse K, Dilba B, Müller MJ. Parental overweight, socioeconomic status and high birth weight are the major determinants of overweight and obesity in 5-7 y-old children: Baseline data of the Kiel Obesity Prevention Study (KOPS). Int J Obes Metab Disord. 2004;28(11):1494-1502.

Chari R, Warsh J, Ketterer T, Hossain J, Sharif I. Association between health literacy and child and adolescent obesity. Patient Educ Couns. 2014;94(1):61-66.

Dallacker M, Hertwig R, Peters E, Mata J. Lower parental numeracy is associated with children being under- and overweight. Soc Sci Med. 2016;161:126-133.

Donatiello E, Dello Russo M, Formisano A, Lauria F, Nappo A, Reineke A, Sparano S, Barba G, Russo P, Siani A. Physical activity, adiposity and urbanization level in children: Results for the italian cohort of the IDEFICS study. Public Health. 2013;127(8):761-765.

Villanueva R, Albaladejo R, Astasio P, Ortega P, Santos J, Regidor E. Socio-economic environment, area facilities and obesity and physical inactivity among children. Eur J Public Health. 2016;26(2):267-271.

Grow HM, Cook AJ, Arterburn DE, Saelens BE, Drewnowskia A, Lozano P. Child obesity associated with social disadvantage of children’s neighborhoods. Soc Sci Med. 2010;71(3):584-591.

Carter MA, Dubois L. Neighbourhoods and child adiposity: A critical appraisal of the literature. Health Place. 2010;16(3):616-628.

Igel U, Romppel M, Baar J, Brähler E, Grande G. Association between parental socio-economic status and childhood weight status and the role of urbanicity. Public Health. 2016;139:209-211.

Igel U, Romppel M, Baar J, Brähler E, Grande G. The association between area-level socio-econmic status and childhood overweight and the role of urbanicity. Obesity Medicine. 2016;2:13-18.

Apouey BH. Les disparités sociales de santé perçue au cours de la vie : Le cas de la France (2004-2012). Bulletin Epidémiologique Hebdomadaire. 2015;24-25:456-465.

Deaton A, Case A. Broken down by work and sex: How our health declines. In: Wise DA, ed. Analyses in the Economics of Aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 2005.