BACKGROUND:
METHODS:
Data are from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study, with respondents aged 35 (n’=’740), 55 (n’=’817) and 75 (n’=’483). SEP measures representing childhood, the transition to adulthood and adulthood SEP were used. Allostatic load was produced by summing nine binary biomarker scores (1’=’in the highest-risk quartile). Linear regressions were used for each of the lifecourse models; with model fits compared using partial F-tests.
RESULTS:
For those aged 35 and 55, higher SEP was associated with lower allostatic load (no association in the 75-year-olds). The accumulation model (more time spent with higher SEP) had the best model fit in those aged 35 (b’=’-0.50, 95%CI’=’-0.68, -0.32, P’=’0.002) and 55 (b’=’-0.31, 95%CI’=’-0.49, -0.12, P’<’0.001). However, the relative contributions of each life-stage differed, with adulthood SEP less strongly associated with allostatic load.
CONCLUSIONS:
Long-term, accumulated higher SEP has been shown to be associated with lower allostatic load (less physiological burden). However, the transition to adulthood may represent a particularly sensitive period for SEP to impact on allostatic load.