Socio-economic position at three points in life in association with type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in middle-aged Swedish men and women

• BackgroundIt has been suggested that low socio-economic position(SEP) during childhood and adolescence predicts risk of adulttype 2 diabetes. We investigated the associations between type2 diabetes and childhood SEP (fathers’ occupational position),participants’ education and adult SEP (participants’occupational position). To determine possible independent associationsbetween early SEP (fathers’ occupational position andparticipants’ education) and disease, we adjusted foradult SEP and factors present in adult life associated withtype 2 diabetes. MethodsThis cross-sectional study comprised 3128 men and 4821women aged 35–56 years. All subjects have gone througha health examination and answered a questionnaire on lifestylefactors. At the health centre, an oral glucose tolerance testwas administered and identified 55 men and 52 women with previouslyundiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIswere calculated in multiple logistic regression analyses. ResultsThe age-adjusted RRs of type 2 diabetes if having afather with middle occupational position were 2.3 [Confidenceinterval (CI:1.0–5.1) for women and, 2.0 (CI:0.7–5.6)for men]. Moreover, low education was associated with type 2diabetes in women, RR = 2.5 (CI:1.2–4.9). Low occupationalposition in adulthood was associated with type 2 diabetes inwomen, RR = 2.7 (CI:1.3–5.9) and men, RR = 2.9 (CI:1.5–5.7).The associations between early SEP and type 2 diabetes disappearedafter adjustment for adult SEP and factors associated with type2 diabetes. ConclusionThe association between type 2 diabetes and low SEPduring childhood and adolescence in middle-aged Swedish subjectsdisappeared after adjustment for adult SEP and adult risk factorsof diabetes.

Nyckelord

Diabetes Mellitus

type 2

epidemiology

socioeconomic factors

lifestyle

childhood

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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