Journal
PAEDIATRIC AND PERINATAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
Volume 30, Issue 3, Pages 274-284Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12285
Keywords
child; preschool; child development; cohort studies; comparative study; Czech Republic; epidemiology; Europe; Finland; France; Greece; health inequalities; Italy; maternal educational status; meta-analysis; Netherlands; obesity; overweight; Portugal; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom; Ukraine
Funding
- European Union [278350]
- Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic [LM2011028, LO1214]
- Grant Agency of the Masaryk University [MUNI/M/1075/2013]
- Academy of Finland
- Biocenter, University of Oulu, Finland
- European Commission (EUROBLCS) [QLG1-CT-2000-01643]
- EU [EurHEALTHAgeing-277849]
- Medical Research Council, UK (PrevMetSyn/SALVE)
- MRC
- Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) [40-00812-98-11010]
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation
- Research Council of Southeast Sweden
- ESRC [ES/F02679X/1] Funding Source: UKRI
- MRC [G1000616, G0601647, G0902037, G0701830] Funding Source: UKRI
- British Heart Foundation [RG/07/008/23674] Funding Source: researchfish
- Economic and Social Research Council [ES/F02679X/1] Funding Source: researchfish
- Medical Research Council [G19/35, G0100222, G8802774, G0601647, G0701830, G1000616, G0902037] Funding Source: researchfish
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BackgroundComparable evidence on adiposity inequalities in early life is lacking across a range of European countries. This study investigates whether low maternal education is associated with overweight and obesity risk in children from distinct European settings during early childhood. MethodsProspective data of 45 413 children from 11 European cohorts were used. Children's height and weight obtained at ages 4-7 years were used to assess prevalent overweight and obesity according to the International Obesity Task Force definition. The Relative/Slope Indices of Inequality (RII/SII) were estimated within each cohort and by gender to investigate adiposity risk among children born to mothers with low education as compared to counterparts born to mothers with high education. Individual-data meta-analyses were conducted to obtain aggregate estimates and to assess heterogeneity between cohorts. ResultsLow maternal education yielded a substantial risk of early childhood adiposity across 11 European countries. Low maternal education yielded a mean risk ratio of 1.58 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34, 1.85) and a mean risk difference of 7.78% (5.34, 10.22) in early childhood overweight, respectively, measured by the RII and SII. Early childhood obesity risk by low maternal education was as substantial for all cohorts combined (RII = 2.61 (2.10, 3.23)) and (SII = 4.01% (3.14, 4.88)). Inequalities in early childhood adiposity were consistent among boys, but varied among girls in a few cohorts. ConclusionsConsiderable inequalities in overweight and obesity are evident among European children in early life. Tackling early childhood adiposity is necessary to promote children's immediate health and well-being and throughout the life course.
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