Mediators of the Association Between Child Education and Adult Health
Authors' conclusion
In this birth cohort study, results showed that associations between educational experiences in childhood and cardiometabolic health in adulthood were mediated by adult income for 4 of 5 indicators and by adult diet for 2 of 5 indicators. This suggests that, across diverse educational experiences, long-term health benefits may be transmitted through having a higher adult income and a healthier adult diet. Findings offer a developmental framework for understanding the well-established education-health gradient, highlighting opportunities for early health promotion.
Study context
- Population
- Participants of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD), birth cohort (1991–2009), assessed at ages 26–31 (2018–2022); mean age 28.6 years, 53.4% female
- Participants
- 700 participants
- Exposure
- Child educational indicators and adult cardiometabolic risk, mediated by adult socioeconomic status and health behaviors
- Outcome
- Composite metabolic syndrome index of cardiometabolic risk (CMR):
- Waist circumference
- Systolic and diastolic BP
- HbA1c
- C-reactive protein
- HDL
- Follow-up
- 30-year assessment (ages 26-31)
Methodological detailsmediation analysis, linear regression models
- Mediation analysis
- Linear regression models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Adult income mediated student social competence–adult cardiometabolic risk (CMR) association: b (95% CI); P
- −0.001 (−0.002 to −0.0003); P = .02
- Adult income mediated student-teacher relationship quality–adult CMR association: b (95% CI); P
- −0.002 (−0.004 to −0.001); P = .02
- Adult income mediated classroom instructional quality–adult CMR association: b (95% CI); P
- −0.012 (−0.034 to −0.001); P = .06 for trend
- Adult income mediated academic achievement–adult CMR association: b (95% CI); P
- −0.001 (−0.002 to −0.0004); P = .02
- Adult diet quality mediated student social competence–adult CMR association: b (95% CI); P
- −0.002 (−0.004 to −0.001); P < .001
- Adult diet quality mediated student-teacher relationship quality–adult CMR association: b (95% CI); P
- −0.003 (−0.005 to −0.001); P = .01
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
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