Gender differences in the pathways from childhood disadvantage to metabolic syndrome in adulthood: An examination of health lifestyles

Abstract

We investigate whether socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood shapes adult health lifestyles in domains of physical activity (leisure, work, chores) and diet (servings of healthy [i.e., nutrient-dense] vs. unhealthy [energy-dense] foods). Physical activity and food choices vary by gender and are key factors in the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Thus, we examined gender differences in the intervening role of these behaviors in linking early-life SES and MetS in adulthood. We used survey data (n = 1054) from two waves of the Midlife in the U.S. Study (MIDUS 1 and 2) and biomarker data collected at MIDUS 2. Results show that individuals who were disadvantaged in early life are more likely to participate in physical activity related to work or chores, but less likely to participate in leisure-time physical activity, the domain most consistently linked with health benefits. Women from low SES families were exceedingly less likely to complete recommended amounts of physical activity through leisure. Men from low SES consumed more servings of unhealthy foods and fewer servings of healthy foods. The observed associations between childhood SES and health lifestyles in adulthood persist even after controlling for adult SES. For men, lack of leisure-time physical activity and unhealthy food consumption largely explained the association between early-life disadvantage and MetS. For women, leisure-time physical activity partially accounted for the association, with the direct effect of childhood SES remaining significant. Evidence that material deprivation in early life compromises metabolic health in adulthood calls for policy attention to improve economic conditions for disadvantaged families with young children where behavioral pathways (including gender differences therein) may be shaped. The findings also underscore the need to develop gender-specific interventions in adulthood.

Keywords: Childhood SES; Diet; Gender; Metabolic syndrome; Physical activity.

Fig. 1

Association between childhood disadvantage and physical activity among US adults, by domain and gender. Note. High SES = 0 or 1 score of childhood disadvantage. Low SES = 4+ score of childhood disadvantage. Pie charts represent percentage of respondents who engaged in moderate or vigorous physical activity in any domain. Bar charts represent the percentage of each domain of physical activity (moderate or vigorous) among those who participated in regular physical activity. ^aIndicates that participation in physical activity differs between high vs. low SES at p ≤ .05. ^bIndicates that domains in physical activity differs between high vs. low SES at p ≤ .05.

Fig. 2

Association between childhood disadvantage and leisure-time physical activity among US adults, by gender. Note High SES = 0 or 1 score of childhood disadvantage. Low SES = 4+ score of childhood disadvantage. Pie charts represent percentage of respondents who engaged in moderate or vigorous leisure-time physical activity. Bar charts represent the percentage of amount of leisure-time physical activity. ^aIndicates that participation in leisure-time physical activity differs between high vs. low SES at p ≤ .05. ^bIndicates that the amount of leisure-time physical activity differs between high vs. low SES at p ≤ .05.

Fig. 3

Association between childhood disadvantage and diet among US adults, by gender. Note. High SES = 0 or 1 score of childhood disadvantage. Low SES = 4+ score of childhood disadvantage. The value of zero refers to mean consumption for the full sample; negative values indicate fewer servings than the mean; and positive values refer to more servings than the mean. *Indicates that the distribution differs by SES at p ≤ .05.