Parental education is related to C-reactive protein among female middle aged community volunteers

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that socioeconomic attributes of both childhood and adulthood confer risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In this study, we examine the association of both parental and individual educational attainment with C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory mediator relevant to cardiovascular pathophysiology, in a midlife community sample. Subjects were 811 men and women (394 men/417 women; 87 % European-American/13 % African American), 30–54 years of age. Plasma concentrations of CRP were determined from blood samples obtained at a single session following an overnight fast. Regression analyses adjusting for age and race showed both parental education and individual education to be associated inversely with CRP in women, but not men. The relationship of parental education with CRP in women persisted on multivariable adjustment for both lifestyle risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep, exercise, body mass index) and individual SES. Independent of reported personal educational attainment, mid-life adult women whose parents achieved fewer years of educational attainment exhibit higher levels of circulating CRP than women with higher parental education. This association may help explain the increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular morbidity and mortality conferred by low childhood socioeconomic status.

Socioeconomic status in childhood and C reactive protein in adulthood: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Three studies37–39 reported no significant associations between any measure of childhood SES and adult CRP, while further four studies23 34 40 41 reported at least one non-significant association. The remaining studies (n=14) reported significant associations between all measures of childhood SES and adult CRP 16 19 20 29 32 33 35 36 42–47…”

Childhood Socioeconomic Circumstances, Inflammation, and Hemostasis Among Midlife Women

“…In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, lower status parental occupation and education were related to higher fibrinogen levels and white blood cell count, particularly among whites (10). In other work, lower parental education was related to higher CRP levels among women but not among men (11). Brazilian men and women whose mothers had low education had elevated CRP (12).…”

Early-Life Socioeconomic Status and Physical Activity in Later Life

“…Low childhood SES was consistently shown to be associated with chronic conditions for which both obesity and sedentary lifestyle are risk factors, such as cardiovascular disease (Wilson, D’Agostino, Sullivan, Parise, & Kannel, 2002). Moreover, socioeconomic disadvantage of the family of origin is related to elevated markers of chronic inflammation in adulthood and late life (Phillips et al, 2009). Persistent low-grade inflammation is associated positively with obesity (Harvey, Lashinger, & Hursting, 2011) and inversely with exercise (Lavie, Church, Milani, & Earnest, 2011).…”