Childhood socioeconomic position and sex-specific trajectories of metabolic traits across early life: prospective cohort study

Kate N O'Neill; Joshua A Bell; George Davey Smith; Abigail Fraser; Laura D Howe; Patricia M Kearney; Oliver Robinson; Kate Tilling; Peter Willeit; Linda M O'Keeffe

doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104884

Childhood socioeconomic position and sex-specific trajectories of metabolic traits across early life: prospective cohort study

Kate N O'Neill, Joshua A Bell, George Davey Smith, Abigail Fraser, Laura D Howe, Patricia M Kearney, Oliver Robinson, Kate Tilling, Peter Willeit, Linda M O'Keeffe

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk begin early in life and are more pronounced in females than males later in life. Causal atherogenic traits explaining this are not well understood. We explored sex-specific associations between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and molecular measures of systemic metabolism across early life.

METHODS: Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a population-based birth cohort in southwest England. Pregnant women with an expected delivery date between 1991 and 1992 were invited to participate. Maternal education was the primary indicator of SEP. Concentrations of 148 metabolic traits from targeted metabolomics (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) from research clinics at ages 7, 15, 18 and 25 years were analysed. The sex-specific slope index of inequality (SII) in trajectories of metabolic traits was estimated using multilevel models.

FINDINGS: Total number of participants included was 6537 (12,543 repeated measures). Lower maternal education was associated with more adverse levels of several atherogenic lipids and key metabolic traits among females at age 7 years, but not males. For instance, SII for very small very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentrations was 0.16SD (95% CI: 0.01, 0.30) among females and -0.02SD (95% CI: -0.16, 0.13) among males. Between 7 and 25 years, inequalities widened among females and emerged among males particularly for VLDL particle concentrations, apolipoprotein-B concentrations, and inflammatory glycoprotein acetyls. For instance, at 25 years, SII for very small VLDL concentrations was 0.36SD (95% CI: 0.20, 0.52) and 0.22SD (95% CI: 0.04, 0.40) among females and males respectively.

INTERPRETATION: Prevention of socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk requires a life course approach beginning at the earliest opportunity, especially among females.

Original language	English
Article number	104884
Number of pages	12
Journal	eBioMedicine
Volume	98
Early online date	20 Nov 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104884
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (grant ref: 217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf). KON is supported by a Health Research Board (HRB) of Ireland Investigator Led Award (ILP-PHR-2022-008). JB, GDS and KT work in a unit funded by the UK MRC (MC_UU_00011/1 and MC UU 00011/3) and the University of Bristol. OR is supported by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/S03532X/1). These funding sources had no role in the design and conduct of this study. This publication is the work of the authors and KON will serve as guarantor for the contents of this paper.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Research Groups and Themes

Bristol Population Health Science Institute

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10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104884Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Rework of IEU 2 Tilling Programme
Tilling, K. M. (Principal Investigator)
1/04/18 → 31/03/23
Project: Research
IEU: MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit Quinquennial renewal
Gaunt, L. F. (Principal Investigator) & Davey Smith, G. (Principal Investigator)
1/04/18 → 31/03/23
Project: Research

Cite this

@article{18ae5a6649d7459890118c4cc71a8fee,

title = "Childhood socioeconomic position and sex-specific trajectories of metabolic traits across early life: prospective cohort study",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk begin early in life and are more pronounced in females than males later in life. Causal atherogenic traits explaining this are not well understood. We explored sex-specific associations between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and molecular measures of systemic metabolism across early life.METHODS: Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a population-based birth cohort in southwest England. Pregnant women with an expected delivery date between 1991 and 1992 were invited to participate. Maternal education was the primary indicator of SEP. Concentrations of 148 metabolic traits from targeted metabolomics (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) from research clinics at ages 7, 15, 18 and 25 years were analysed. The sex-specific slope index of inequality (SII) in trajectories of metabolic traits was estimated using multilevel models.FINDINGS: Total number of participants included was 6537 (12,543 repeated measures). Lower maternal education was associated with more adverse levels of several atherogenic lipids and key metabolic traits among females at age 7 years, but not males. For instance, SII for very small very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentrations was 0.16SD (95\% CI: 0.01, 0.30) among females and -0.02SD (95\% CI: -0.16, 0.13) among males. Between 7 and 25 years, inequalities widened among females and emerged among males particularly for VLDL particle concentrations, apolipoprotein-B concentrations, and inflammatory glycoprotein acetyls. For instance, at 25 years, SII for very small VLDL concentrations was 0.36SD (95\% CI: 0.20, 0.52) and 0.22SD (95\% CI: 0.04, 0.40) among females and males respectively.INTERPRETATION: Prevention of socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk requires a life course approach beginning at the earliest opportunity, especially among females.",

author = "O'Neill, \{Kate N\} and Bell, \{Joshua A\} and Smith, \{George Davey\} and Abigail Fraser and Howe, \{Laura D\} and Kearney, \{Patricia M\} and Oliver Robinson and Kate Tilling and Peter Willeit and O'Keeffe, \{Linda M\}",

note = "Funding Information: The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (grant ref: 217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf). KON is supported by a Health Research Board (HRB) of Ireland Investigator Led Award (ILP-PHR-2022-008). JB, GDS and KT work in a unit funded by the UK MRC (MC\_UU\_00011/1 and MC UU 00011/3) and the University of Bristol. OR is supported by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/S03532X/1). These funding sources had no role in the design and conduct of this study. This publication is the work of the authors and KON will serve as guarantor for the contents of this paper. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104884",

language = "English",

volume = "98",

journal = "eBioMedicine",

issn = "2352-3964",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Childhood socioeconomic position and sex-specific trajectories of metabolic traits across early life

T2 - prospective cohort study

AU - O'Neill, Kate N

AU - Bell, Joshua A

AU - Smith, George Davey

AU - Fraser, Abigail

AU - Howe, Laura D

AU - Kearney, Patricia M

AU - Robinson, Oliver

AU - Tilling, Kate

AU - Willeit, Peter

AU - O'Keeffe, Linda M

N1 - Funding Information: The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (grant ref: 217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf). KON is supported by a Health Research Board (HRB) of Ireland Investigator Led Award (ILP-PHR-2022-008). JB, GDS and KT work in a unit funded by the UK MRC (MC_UU_00011/1 and MC UU 00011/3) and the University of Bristol. OR is supported by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/S03532X/1). These funding sources had no role in the design and conduct of this study. This publication is the work of the authors and KON will serve as guarantor for the contents of this paper. Publisher Copyright: © 2023

PY - 2023/12/1

Y1 - 2023/12/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk begin early in life and are more pronounced in females than males later in life. Causal atherogenic traits explaining this are not well understood. We explored sex-specific associations between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and molecular measures of systemic metabolism across early life.METHODS: Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a population-based birth cohort in southwest England. Pregnant women with an expected delivery date between 1991 and 1992 were invited to participate. Maternal education was the primary indicator of SEP. Concentrations of 148 metabolic traits from targeted metabolomics (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) from research clinics at ages 7, 15, 18 and 25 years were analysed. The sex-specific slope index of inequality (SII) in trajectories of metabolic traits was estimated using multilevel models.FINDINGS: Total number of participants included was 6537 (12,543 repeated measures). Lower maternal education was associated with more adverse levels of several atherogenic lipids and key metabolic traits among females at age 7 years, but not males. For instance, SII for very small very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentrations was 0.16SD (95% CI: 0.01, 0.30) among females and -0.02SD (95% CI: -0.16, 0.13) among males. Between 7 and 25 years, inequalities widened among females and emerged among males particularly for VLDL particle concentrations, apolipoprotein-B concentrations, and inflammatory glycoprotein acetyls. For instance, at 25 years, SII for very small VLDL concentrations was 0.36SD (95% CI: 0.20, 0.52) and 0.22SD (95% CI: 0.04, 0.40) among females and males respectively.INTERPRETATION: Prevention of socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk requires a life course approach beginning at the earliest opportunity, especially among females.

AB - BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk begin early in life and are more pronounced in females than males later in life. Causal atherogenic traits explaining this are not well understood. We explored sex-specific associations between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and molecular measures of systemic metabolism across early life.METHODS: Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a population-based birth cohort in southwest England. Pregnant women with an expected delivery date between 1991 and 1992 were invited to participate. Maternal education was the primary indicator of SEP. Concentrations of 148 metabolic traits from targeted metabolomics (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) from research clinics at ages 7, 15, 18 and 25 years were analysed. The sex-specific slope index of inequality (SII) in trajectories of metabolic traits was estimated using multilevel models.FINDINGS: Total number of participants included was 6537 (12,543 repeated measures). Lower maternal education was associated with more adverse levels of several atherogenic lipids and key metabolic traits among females at age 7 years, but not males. For instance, SII for very small very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentrations was 0.16SD (95% CI: 0.01, 0.30) among females and -0.02SD (95% CI: -0.16, 0.13) among males. Between 7 and 25 years, inequalities widened among females and emerged among males particularly for VLDL particle concentrations, apolipoprotein-B concentrations, and inflammatory glycoprotein acetyls. For instance, at 25 years, SII for very small VLDL concentrations was 0.36SD (95% CI: 0.20, 0.52) and 0.22SD (95% CI: 0.04, 0.40) among females and males respectively.INTERPRETATION: Prevention of socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk requires a life course approach beginning at the earliest opportunity, especially among females.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104884

DO - 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104884

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 37989036

SN - 2352-3964

VL - 98

JO - eBioMedicine

JF - eBioMedicine

M1 - 104884

ER -

Childhood socioeconomic position and sex-specific trajectories of metabolic traits across early life: prospective cohort study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Research Groups and Themes

Access to Document

Handle.net

Fingerprint

Projects

Rework of IEU 2 Tilling Programme

IEU: MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit Quinquennial renewal

Cite this