171 - Inequalities in parent-child physical, mental, cognitive, molecular and lifestyle profiles: The Child Health CheckPoint Study

Poster Number: 171
Publication Number: 171.412

Fiona K. Mensah, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Susan Clifford, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Yichao Wang, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Ha Nguyet D. Le, Deakin University, BURWOOD, Victoria, Australia; anneke grobler, MCRI, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Katherine Lange, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Kate Lycett, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia; Jessica A. Kerr, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; peter azzopardi, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Peter Simm, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Lisa Gold, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Tim S. Olds, University of South Australia, GLENELG SOUTH, South Australia, Australia; Melissa Wake, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

Background: Inequalities are evident across myriad physical, mental, cognitive and metabolic conditions and their precursors. However, the extent to which inequalities cooccur in children and parents is not known at a population level.

Objective: To examine the presence and comparative magnitude of social inequalities across physical, mental, cognitive, molecular, and lifestyle measures with 10-12 year old children and their parents.

Design/Methods: Participants are from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children Birth cohort study (n=5,107 at baseline, 0-1 years, 2003/4). The Child Health CheckPoint single visit biophysical module (2015/16) included 1,848 families (36.2% of the original cohort). Children aged 11-12 years and one parent underwent extensive physical assessments: body fat; body mass index; blood pressure; carotid intima-media thickness (ultrasound); bone strength (pQCT); and respiratory function (spirometry). Health related quality of life (CHU9D); mental health (wave 6, age 10/11 years, K6 parents/SDQ children); and diet quality (food frequency questionnaire) were reported by parents or children. Language ability (CELF-4 recalling sentences); hearing (LiSN-S speech reception, audiometry); and physical activity (accelerometry) were directly assessed. Bioassays included lipids; inflammatory markers; and telomere length. A baseline score for socioeconomic position was derived from parental education, occupation and household income. Survey adjusted linear regression estimated slope indexes of inequality (SII) using within cohort standardized measures, interpreted as the standard deviation difference in health benefit between the most and least advantaged family.

Results: Marked social inequalities favoured more advantaged families across the majority of health characteristics, the exception being parents’ physical activity. The largest parental inequalities were in language ability, body composition, diet quality, metabolic measures including systemic inflammation, mental health, blood pressure, and hearing (SII 0.85 to 0.53, Figure 1). For children, the largest inequalities were in language ability, diet quality, mental health (all higher than parents’ SII) and body composition (SII 1.00 to 0.53, Figure 2).Conclusion(s): Stark multisystem inequalities are already pervasive by age 10-12 years across generations. The magnitude and pervasive nature of these findings indicates the urgency of tackling multigenerational inequality itself. Given the childhood inequalities in cellular ageing and inflammation, not doing so will almost certainly exert a high price in future premature morbidity and mortality.
Figure 1. Comparative magnitude of social inequalities across physical, mental, cognitive, molecular, and lifestyle measures with parents of 10-12 year old childrenThe slope index of inequality (SII) estimates the difference in each health characteristic (in standard deviations) between the most and least socially advantaged family in the population. (Rv) indicates reverse coding, thus a positive SII consistently indicates a health benefit to more advantaged families.
Figure 2. Comparative magnitude of social inequalities across physical, mental, cognitive, molecular, and lifestyle measures with 10-12 year old childrenThe slope index of inequality (SII) estimates the difference in each health characteristic (in standard deviations) between the most and least socially advantaged family in the population. (Rv) indicates reverse coding, thus a positive SII consistently indicates a health benefit to more advantaged families.