The socioeconomic trajectories followed during early adulthood contribute to inequalities in cardiometabolic health by age 24 years
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Winpenny, Eleanor M
Stochl, Jan
Hughes, Alun
Tilling, Kate
Howe, Laura D
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction
Socioeconomic position is strongly associated with cardiovascular health. However, little is known about the short-term health impacts of socioeconomic exposures during early adulthood. In this study we describe socioeconomic trajectories of early adulthood (age 16-24y), and assess associations of these trajectories with cardiometabolic health at age 24y.
Methods
Participants of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), with data across age 16y to 24y (2007–2017) were included (n = 7568). Longitudinal latent class analysis identified socioeconomic trajectories, based on education and employment data across ages 16–24y. Cardiometabolic outcomes at age 24y comprised anthropometric, vascular, metabolic and cardiovascular structure and function measures. We modelled differences in cardiometabolic outcomes at age 24y across the socioeconomic trajectory classes, adjusting for childhood socioeconomic position, adolescent health behaviours and adolescent health.
Results
Four early adulthood socioeconomic trajectories were identified: (1) Higher Education (41% of the population), (2) Extended Education (9%), (3) Part-Time Employment (21%), and (4) Early Employment (29%). Associations between socioeconomic trajectories and cardiometabolic outcomes differed by sex. Among males, the Higher Education and Extended Education trajectories showed a healthier profile across cardiometabolic risk factors at age 24y, and the Part-time Employment trajectory the least healthy profile. Among females there was less clear distinction between the trajectories, and the pattern across different outcomes was not consistent.
Conclusion
The newly identified ‘Part-time Employment’ trajectory showed the least healthy cardiometabolic profile. Further research should focus on this group to understand the exposures contributing to poor cardiometabolic health in this sector of the population.
Socioeconomic position is strongly associated with cardiovascular health. However, little is known about the short-term health impacts of socioeconomic exposures during early adulthood. In this study we describe socioeconomic trajectories of early adulthood (age 16-24y), and assess associations of these trajectories with cardiometabolic health at age 24y.
Methods
Participants of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), with data across age 16y to 24y (2007–2017) were included (n = 7568). Longitudinal latent class analysis identified socioeconomic trajectories, based on education and employment data across ages 16–24y. Cardiometabolic outcomes at age 24y comprised anthropometric, vascular, metabolic and cardiovascular structure and function measures. We modelled differences in cardiometabolic outcomes at age 24y across the socioeconomic trajectory classes, adjusting for childhood socioeconomic position, adolescent health behaviours and adolescent health.
Results
Four early adulthood socioeconomic trajectories were identified: (1) Higher Education (41% of the population), (2) Extended Education (9%), (3) Part-Time Employment (21%), and (4) Early Employment (29%). Associations between socioeconomic trajectories and cardiometabolic outcomes differed by sex. Among males, the Higher Education and Extended Education trajectories showed a healthier profile across cardiometabolic risk factors at age 24y, and the Part-time Employment trajectory the least healthy profile. Among females there was less clear distinction between the trajectories, and the pattern across different outcomes was not consistent.
Conclusion
The newly identified ‘Part-time Employment’ trajectory showed the least healthy cardiometabolic profile. Further research should focus on this group to understand the exposures contributing to poor cardiometabolic health in this sector of the population.
Date Issued
2025-11-01
Date Acceptance
2025-09-30
Citation
Social Science and Medicine, 2025, 385
ISSN
0277-9536
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Social Science and Medicine
Volume
385
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41046851
PII: S0277-9536(25)00965-7
Subjects
Adolescence
ADOLESCENTS
ALSPAC
ASSOCIATION
Biomedical Social Sciences
Cardiovascular
CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS
DISPARITIES
Employment
HEART-DISEASE
Inequality
INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Metabolic
POSITION
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Science & Technology
SEX-DIFFERENCES
Social Sciences
Social Sciences, Biomedical
SOCIAL-CLASS
Socioeconomic
YOUNG-ADULTS
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
118634
Date Publish Online
2025-10-02