Mortality of the oldest old Chinese: The role of early-life nutritional status, socio-economic conditions, and sibling sex-composition

Abstract

Based on a nationally representative sample of 8,099 Chinese drawn from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), this study investigated the long-term health consequences of early-life nutritional status, sibling sex-composition, childhood socioeconomic conditions, and place of birth on mortality at ages 80 and above between 1998 and 2005. Better nutritional status in childhood predicted lower mortality at ages 80 and above, net of childhood circumstances, adult socioeconomic status, and health behaviors. In addition, sibling sex composition had long-term health consequences, net of childhood and adult characteristics, such that women benefited from having grown up in families with only daughters, while men benefited from having grown up in families with both sons and daughters. Childhood socioeconomic status was only marginally related to old-age mortality and this association was attenuated further by the inclusion of adult characteristics. Place of birth was not a significant predictor of old-age mortality.

Do early-life conditions predict functional health status in adulthood? The case of Mexico

“…We know of no researchers who have investigated the reliability and validity of self-reports of childhood health and SES among MHAS participants. Objective measures of early-life conditions would, of course, be preferred; but in their absence, researchers have relied on retrospective reports similar to those used here (Huang & Elo, 2009; Kohler & Soldo, 2005; Monteverde, Noronha, & Palloni 2009; Zeng, Gu, & Land, 2007). Furthermore, our results are quite consistent with prior research from diverse settings and provide additional evidence supporting the hypothesis that adult health is shaped by early-life circumstances (Barker, 1993; Barker & Clark, 1997; Blackwell et al, 2001; Haas, 2008; Kuh et al, 2003; Preston, Hill, & Drevenstedt, 1998).…”

“…Childhood SES is an important predictor of adult SES in both developed and developing countries (Blackwell, Hayward, & Crimmins, 2001; Case, Fertig, & Paxson, 2005; Huang & Elo, 2009). Adult SES in turn is associated with functional health.…”

Direct and indirect effects of childhood conditions on survival and health among male and female elderly in China

“…Recent studies in the life course context have expanded to investigate linkages between childhood conditions and a range of health outcomes among the elderly. For example, children born into impoverished families tend to experience increased morbidity, disability, and mortality when they are older adults (Bengtsson & Brostrom, 2009; Elo & Preston, 1992; Galobardes, Lynch, & Smith, 2008; Hayward & Gorman, 2004; Huang & Elo, 2009; O’Rand & Hamil-Luker, 2005). However, there are disputes on how early-life circumstances persist to affect late-life health and longevity.…”

Health, Height, Height Shrinkage, and SES at Older Ages: Evidence from China

“…The effects of early-life health and environment on cognitive function, health, well-being, and mortality have been documented by researchers across a range of disciplines, using data from many countries over the world (Elo and Preston 1992; Barker 1994; Nystrom, Peck, and Lundberg 1995; Godfrey and Barker 2000; Finch and Crimmins 2004; Case and Paxson 2005; Case and Paxson 2008b, 2009b, 2010a, 2010b; Alderman and Behrman 2006; Yi, Gu, and Land 2007; Van den Berg, Lindeboom, and Portrait 2006; Smith 2009; Huang and Elo 2009; Almond and Currie 2011). …”