TY - JOUR
T1 - Life-course socioeconomic disadvantage and lung function
T2 - a multicohort study of 70496 individuals
AU - Rocha, Vânia
AU - Fraga, Sílvia
AU - Moreira, Carla
AU - Carmeli, Cristian
AU - Lenoir, Alexandra
AU - Steptoe, Andrew
AU - Giles, Graham
AU - Goldberg, Marcel
AU - Zins, Marie
AU - Kivimäki, Mika
AU - Vineis, Paolo
AU - Vollenweider, Peter
AU - Barros, Henrique
AU - Stringhini, Silvia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright ©ERS 2021
PY - 2021/3/1
Y1 - 2021/3/1
N2 - Background: Lung function is an important predictor of health and a marker of physical functioning at older ages. This study aimed to quantify the years of lung function lost according to disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions across the life-course. Methods: This multicohort study used harmonised individual-level data from six European cohorts with information on life-course socioeconomic disadvantage and lung function assessed by forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). 70496 participants (51% female) aged 18–93 years were included. Socioeconomic disadvantage was measured in early life (low paternal occupational position), early adulthood (low educational level) and adulthood (low occupational position). Risk factors for poor lung function (e.g. smoking, obesity, sedentary behaviour, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases) were included as potential mediators. The years of lung function lost due to socioeconomic disadvantage were computed at each life stage. Results: Socioeconomic disadvantage during the life-course was associated with a lower FEV1. By the age of 45 years, individuals experiencing disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions had lost 4–5 years of healthy lung function versus their more advantaged counterparts (low educational level −4.36 (95% CI −7.33–−2.37) for males and −5.14 (−10.32–−2.71) for females; low occupational position −5.62 (−7.98–−4.90) for males and −4.32 (−13.31–−2.27) for females), after accounting for the risk factors for lung function. By the ages of 65 years and 85 years, the years of lung function lost due to socioeconomic disadvantage decreased by 2–4 years, depending on the socioeconomic indicator. Sensitivity analysis using FVC yielded similar results to those using FEV1. Conclusion: Life-course socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with lower lung function and predicts a significant number of years of lung function loss in adulthood and at older ages.
AB - Background: Lung function is an important predictor of health and a marker of physical functioning at older ages. This study aimed to quantify the years of lung function lost according to disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions across the life-course. Methods: This multicohort study used harmonised individual-level data from six European cohorts with information on life-course socioeconomic disadvantage and lung function assessed by forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). 70496 participants (51% female) aged 18–93 years were included. Socioeconomic disadvantage was measured in early life (low paternal occupational position), early adulthood (low educational level) and adulthood (low occupational position). Risk factors for poor lung function (e.g. smoking, obesity, sedentary behaviour, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases) were included as potential mediators. The years of lung function lost due to socioeconomic disadvantage were computed at each life stage. Results: Socioeconomic disadvantage during the life-course was associated with a lower FEV1. By the age of 45 years, individuals experiencing disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions had lost 4–5 years of healthy lung function versus their more advantaged counterparts (low educational level −4.36 (95% CI −7.33–−2.37) for males and −5.14 (−10.32–−2.71) for females; low occupational position −5.62 (−7.98–−4.90) for males and −4.32 (−13.31–−2.27) for females), after accounting for the risk factors for lung function. By the ages of 65 years and 85 years, the years of lung function lost due to socioeconomic disadvantage decreased by 2–4 years, depending on the socioeconomic indicator. Sensitivity analysis using FVC yielded similar results to those using FEV1. Conclusion: Life-course socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with lower lung function and predicts a significant number of years of lung function loss in adulthood and at older ages.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103227552&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1183/13993003.01600-2020
DO - 10.1183/13993003.01600-2020
M3 - Article
SN - 0903-1936
VL - 57
JO - European Respiratory Journal
JF - European Respiratory Journal
IS - 3
M1 - 2001600
ER -
