Is having an educationally diverse social network good for health?

AbstractWhile network research often focuses on social integration as a predictor of health, a less-explored idea is that connections to dissimilar others may benefit well-being. As such, this study investigates whether network diversity is associated with changes in four health outcomes over a 3-year period of time in the U.S.A. Specifically, we focus on how an underexplored measure of network diversity—educational attainment assortativity—is associated with common self-reported outcomes: propensity to exercise, body-mass index, mental health, and physical health. We extend prior research by conducting multilevel analyses using this measure of diversity while adjusting for a range of socio-demographic and network confounders. Data are drawn from a longitudinal probability sample of U.S. adults (n=10.679) in which respondents reported information about themselves and eight possible alters during three yearly surveys (2013–2015). We find, first, that higher educational attainment is associated with more educationally insular networks, while less-educated adults have more educationally diverse networks. Results further suggest that having educationally similar networks is associated with higher body-mass index among the less educated. Further exploration of the relationship between ego network diversity, tie strength, and health is warranted.

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The impact of education inequality on rheumatoid arthritis risk is mediated by smoking and body mass index: mendelian randomization study

10.1101/2021.04.20.21254536 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sizheng Steven Zhao ◽

Michael V Holmes ◽

Jie Zheng ◽

Eleanor Sanderson ◽

Alice R Carter

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Educational Attainment ◽

Body Mass ◽

Mendelian Randomization ◽

Total Effect ◽

Smoking Exposure ◽

Higher Educational ◽

Higher Educational Attainment ◽

The Impact

Objective. To estimate the causal relationship between educational attainment - as a proxy for socioeconomic inequality - and risk of RA and quantify the roles of cigarette smoking and body mass index (BMI) as potential mediators. Methods. Using the largest genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study of genetically predicted educational attainment (instrumented using 1265 variants from GWAS of 766,345 individuals) and RA (14,361 cases, 43,923 controls). We used two-step MR to quantify the proportion of education's effect on RA mediated by smoking exposure (as a composite index capturing duration, heaviness and cessation, using 124 variants from 462,690 individuals) and BMI (517 variants, 681,275 individuals), and multivariable MR to estimate proportion mediated by both factors combined. Results. Each standard deviation (SD) increase in educational attainment (4.2 years of schooling) was protective of RA (OR 0.37; 95%CI 0.31, 0.44). Higher educational attainment was also protective for smoking exposure (b= -0.25 SD; 95%CI -0.26, -0.23) and BMI (b= -0.27 SD (~1.3kg/m2); 95%CI -0.31, -0.24). Smoking mediated 24% (95%CI 13%, 35%) and BMI 17% (95%CI 11%, 23%) of the total effect of education on RA. Combined, the two risk factors explained 47% (95%CI 11%, 82%) of the total effect. Conclusion. Higher educational attainment has a protective effect on RA risk. Interventions to reduce smoking and excess adiposity at a population level may reduce this risk, but a large proportion of education's effect on RA remains unexplained. Further research into other risk factors that act as potentially modifiable mediators are required.

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The Relationship between Body Mass Index and Adolescent Well-Being

American Journal of Health Education ◽

10.1080/19325037.2007.10598981 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 266-275 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Christopher Latty ◽

Marsha T. Carolan ◽

Jodi E. Jocks ◽

Lorraine J. Weatherspoon

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

Well Being ◽

The Relationship

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The relationship between body mass index and subjective well-being - the moderating role of body dissatisfaction

Medicinski pregled ◽

10.2298/mpns1510316b ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 68 (9-10) ◽

pp. 316-323 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Dragana Brdaric ◽

Veljko Jovanovic ◽

Vesna Gavrilov-Jerkovic

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Dissatisfaction ◽

Body Mass ◽

Well Being ◽

Moderating Effect ◽

Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Lower Body ◽

Negative Experience ◽

The Relationship

Introduction. Excess bodyweight and obesity are widespread health problems throughout the world. In Serbia, over 50% of the adult population is overweight and the Province of Vojvodina is one of the regions with the highest percentage of obesity. The relationship between obesity and health complications has been consistently demonstrated. However, research on the relationship between obesity and subjective well-being has not provided clear results. Body dissatisfaction is considered to be an important factor for understanding this relationship. The main objective of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of body dissatisfaction in the relationship between body mass index and subjective well-being. Material and Methods. The study sample included 731 respondents (72.6% women), with the mean age 28.93 years (SD = 8.47) from the Province of Vojvodina who had completed an online set of tests consisting of Body Shape Questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Scale of Positive and Negative Experience and a self-assessment of bodyweight and body height. Results. The results indicate that the moderating effect of body dissatisfaction in the relationship between body mass index and indicators of subjective well-being is statistically significant in both sexes. Specifically, the women with higher body mass index values who expressed lower body dissatisfaction reported lower levels of emotional distress and higher levels of pleasant emotions than those with lower body mass index. On the other hand, the men with higher bodyweight preoccupation and low body mass index reported significantly higher levels of pleasant emotions than those with higher body mass index values. Conclusion. These results suggest the necessity of a more detailed study of this relationship on both clinical and general population samples from Serbia.

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Relationship between Leptin Concentration in Cord Blood and Foetal Growth and Maternal Anthropometry of GDM Mothers at Delivery

Journal of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons ◽

10.3329/jbcps.v25i1.166 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 9-13

Author(s):

S Jahan ◽

TR Das ◽

KB Biswas

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Cord Blood ◽

Body Mass ◽

Anthropometric Measurements ◽

Anthropometric Parameters ◽

Serum Leptin ◽

C Peptide ◽

Cord Serum ◽

The Relationship

Background and Aims: Cord blood leptin may reflect the leptinemic status of a newborn at birth more accurately than the leptin values of blood collected from other sites. The present study was undertaken to determine the relationship of cord serum leptin concentration at birth with neonatal and maternal anthropometric parameters. Materials and Methods: Blood was taken from the umbilical cord of the babies at delivery. Maternal anthropometric measurements were recorded at admission for delivery. Neonatal anthropometric measurements were recorded within 48 hours after delivery. Linear regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between cord serum leptin concentration and anthropometric parameters of the baby and the mother. Both Serum leptin and serum C-peptide levels were measured by chemiluminescence-based ELISA method. Results: The leptin concentration (ng/ml, mean±SD) in cord blood was 39.13±14.44. Cord leptin levels correlated with birth weight (r=0.673, p<0.0001), ponderal index (r=0.732, p<0.0001) but it did not correlate with maternal body mass index, gestational age (r=0.135, p=0.349) at delivery or cord serum C-peptide concentration (r=-0.049, p=0.735) or placental weight (r=0.203, p=0.157). Conclusion: There are associations between cord leptin concentration at delivery and birth weight, ponderal index (PI) of the babies but not body mass index (BMI) of the mothers. High leptin levels of the baby could represent an important feedback modulator of substrate supply and subsequently for adipose tissue status during late gestation. (J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2007; 25 : 9-13)

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The Relationship between Sex, Body Mass Index, and Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Colorectal cancer

10.26226/morressier.5a9844c4d462b80296ca4754 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Arwa Almasaudi

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

Postoperative Outcomes ◽

The Relationship

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Combination of sleep duration, TV time and body mass index is associated with cardiometabolic risk moderated by age in youth

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1515/jpem-2020-0399 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Ana P. Sehn ◽

Anelise R. Gaya ◽

Caroline Brand ◽

Arieli F. Dias ◽

Roya Kelishadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Body Mass ◽

Cardiometabolic Risk ◽

High Systolic Blood Pressure ◽

Television Time ◽

The Relationship ◽

Moderating Role

AbstractObjectivesThe combination of sleep duration, television (TV) time and body mass index (BMI) may be related to the alteration of cardiometabolic risk. However, there are few studies that use these variables grouped, and showing the moderating role of age. This study aimed to verify if the combination of sleep duration, TV time and BMI is associated with cardiometabolic risk and the moderating role of age in this relationship in youth.MethodsCross-sectional study conducted with 1411 adolescents (611 male), aged 10–17 years. Sleep duration, TV time and BMI were assessed and grouped into eight categories. Cardiometabolic risk was assessed by a continuous metabolic risk score, including the following variables: low HDL-cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, dysglycemia, high systolic blood pressure, high waist circumference and low cardiorespiratory fitness. Generalized linear models were used to test moderation of age in the relationship between the eight categories of sleep duration/television time/BMI with cardiometabolic risk.ResultsCardiometabolic risk factor showed association with all overweight or obesity independent of sleep time and TV time. Age moderated the relationship between sleep duration/television time/BMI with cardiometabolic risk. This association was stronger in younger adolescents (11 and 13 years), indicating that individuals with inadequate sleep, prolonged TV time and overweight/obesity present higher cardiometabolic risk values when compared to 15-year-old adolescents.ConclusionOverweight/obesity, independently of sleep duration and TV time, is the main risk factor for cardiometabolic disorders in adolescence. When moderated by age, younger adolescents that presented the combination of risk factors had higher cardiometabolic risk.

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Mechanisms linking teenage mothers’ educational attainment with self-reported health at age 50

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-020-01150-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Julie Maslowsky ◽

C. Emily Hendrick ◽

Haley Stritzel

Keyword(s):

Educational Attainment ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Social Determinant ◽

Early Childbearing ◽

Partner Characteristics ◽

Higher Educational Attainment ◽

The Life Course ◽

Social Determinant Of Health

Abstract Background Early childbearing is associated with adverse health and well-being throughout the life course for women in the United States. As education continues to be a modifiable social determinant of health after a young woman gives birth, the association of increased educational attainment with long-term health for women who begin childbearing as teenagers is worthy of investigation. Methods Data are from 301 mothers in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 who gave birth prior to age 19. We estimated path models to assess women’s incomes, partner characteristics, and health behaviors at age 40 as mediators of the relationship between their educational attainment and self-rated general health at age 50. Results After accounting for observed background factors that select women into early childbearing and lower educational attainment, higher levels of education (high school diploma and GED attainment vs. no degree) were indirectly associated with higher self-rated health at age 50 via higher participant income at age 40. Conclusions As education is a social determinant of health that is amenable to intervention after a teen gives birth, our results are supportive of higher educational attainment as a potential pathway to improving long-term health outcomes of women who begin childbearing early.

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