Alcohol-related Outcomes and All-cause Mortality in the Health 2000 Survey by Participation Status and Compared with the Finnish Population.

BACKGROUND: In the context of declining levels of participation, understanding differences between participants and non-participants in health surveys is increasingly important for reliable measurement of health-related behaviors and their social differentials. This study compared participants and non-participants of the Finnish Health 2000 survey, and participants and a representative sample of the target population, in terms of alcohol-related harms (hospitalizations and deaths) and all-cause mortality. METHODS: We individually linked 6,127 survey participants and 1,040 non-participants, aged 30-79, and a register-based population sample (n = 496,079) to 12 years of subsequent administrative hospital discharge and mortality data. We estimated age-standardized rates and rate ratios for each outcome for non-participants and the population sample relative to participants with and without sampling weights by sex and educational attainment. RESULTS: Harms and mortality were higher in non-participants, relative to participants for both men (rate ratios = 1.5 [95% confidence interval = 1.2, 1.9] for harms; 1.6 [1.3, 2.0] for mortality) and women (2.7 [1.6, 4.4] harms; 1.7 [1.4, 2.0] mortality). Non-participation bias in harms estimates in women increased with education and in all-cause mortality overall. Age-adjusted comparisons between the population sample and sampling weighted participants were inconclusive for differences by sex; however, there were some large differences by educational attainment level. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of harms and mortality in non-participants exceed those in participants. Weighted participants' rates reflected those in the population well by age and sex, but insufficiently by educational attainment. Despite relatively high participation levels (85%), social differentiating factors and levels of harm and mortality were underestimated in the participants.

Weight misperception and psychological symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood: longitudinal study of an ethnically diverse UK cohort.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association between weight misperception and psychological symptoms in the Determinants of young Adults Social well-being and Health (DASH) longitudinal study. METHODS: A longitudinal sample of 3227 adolescents, in 49 secondary schools in London, aged 11-16 years participated in 2002/2003 and were followed up in 2005/2006. A sub-sample (N = 595) was followed up again at ages 21-23 years in 2012/2013. An index of weight misperception was derived from weight perception and measured weight. Psychological well- being was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at 11-16 years and the General Health Questionnaire at 21-23 years. Associations with weight misperception was assessed using regression models, adjusted for socio-economic and lifestyle factors. RESULTS: White British males and females were more likely than ethnic minority peers to report accurate perceptions of measured weight. At 11-13y, 46% females and 38% males did not have an accurate perception of their measured weight. The comparable figures at 14-16y were 42 and 40%. Compared with male adolescents, more females perceived themselves as overweight or were unsure of their weight but measured normal weight, and this was more pronounced among Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. At 14-16y, more males perceived themselves as underweight but measured normal weight, and this was more pronounced among Indians. Compared with those who had an accurate perception of their normal weight, a higher likelihood of probable clinically-relevant psychological symptoms was observed among those who measured normal weight but perceived themselves to be underweight (females Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.87 95% CI 1.03-3.40; males OR = 2.34 95% CI 1.47-3.71), overweight (females only OR = 2.06 95% CI 1.10-3.87), or unsure of their weight (males only OR = 1.61 95% CI 1.04-2.49). Among females, the association was driven by internalising rather than externalising symptoms. An accurate perception of overweight was associated with higher psychological symptoms in adolescence and early 20s. Ethnic specific effects were not evident. CONCLUSION: Weight misperception may be an important determinant of psychological symptoms in young people, with an accurate perception of normal weight status being protective. Culturally targeted interventions should be considered to promote healthy perceptions of body image.

Assessing the potential utility of commercial 'big data' for health research: Enhancing small-area deprivation measures with Experian™ Mosaic groups.

In contrast to area-based deprivation measures, commercial datasets remain infrequently used in health research and policy. Experian collates numerous commercial and administrative data sources to produce Mosaic groups which stratify households into 15 groups for marketing purposes. We assessed the potential utility of Mosaic groups for health research purposes by investigating their relationships with Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) for the British population. Mosaic groups showed significant associations with IMD quintiles. Correspondence Analysis revealed variations in patterns of association, with Mosaic groups either showing increasing, decreasing, or some mixed trends with deprivation quintiles. These results suggest that Experian's Mosaics additionally measure other aspects of socioeconomic circumstances to those captured by deprivation measures. These commercial data may provide new insights into the social determinants of health at a small area level.

Associations of dietary intake with cardiometabolic risk in a multi-ethnic cohort: a longitudinal analysis of the Determinants of Adolescence, now young Adults, Social well-being and Health (DASH) study.

Unfavourable dietary habits, such as skipping breakfast, are common among ethnic minority children and may contribute to inequalities in cardiometabolic disease. We conducted a longitudinal follow-up of a subsample of the UK multi-ethnic Determinants of Adolescent Social well-being and Health cohort, which represents the main UK ethnic groups and is now aged 21-23 years. We aimed to describe longitudinal patterns of dietary intake and investigate their impact on cardiometabolic risk in young adulthood. Participants completed a dietary behaviour questionnaire and a 24 h dietary intake recall; anthropometry, blood pressure, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol and HbA1c were measured. The cohort consisted of 107 White British, 102 Black Caribbean, 132 Black African, 98 Indian, 111 Bangladeshi/Pakistani and 115 other/mixed ethnicity. Unhealthful dietary behaviours such as skipping breakfast and low intake of fruits and vegetables were common (56, 57 and 63 %, respectively). Rates of skipping breakfast and low fruit and vegetable consumption were highest among Black African and Black Caribbean participants. BMI and cholesterol levels at 21-23 years were higher among those who regularly skipped breakfast at 11-13 years (BMI 1·41 (95 % CI 0·57, 2·26), P=0·001; cholesterol 0·15 (95 % CI -0·01, 0·31), P=0·063) and at 21-23 years (BMI 1·05 (95 % CI 0·22, 1·89), P=0·014; cholesterol 0·22 (95 % CI 0·06, 0·37), P=0·007). Childhood breakfast skipping is more common in certain ethnic groups and is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in young adulthood. Our findings highlight the importance of targeting interventions to improve dietary behaviours such as breakfast consumption at specific population groups.

Effects of restrictions to Income Support on health of lone mothers in the UK: a natural experiment study.

BACKGROUND: In the UK, lone parents must seek work as a condition of receiving welfare benefits once their youngest child reaches a certain age. Since 2008, the lower age limit at which these Lone Parent Obligations (LPO) apply has been reduced in steps. We used data from a nationally representative, longitudinal, household panel study to analyse the health effects of increased welfare conditionality under LPO. METHODS: From the Understanding Society survey, we used data for lone mothers who were newly exposed to LPO when the age cutoff was reduced from 7 to 5 years in 2012 (intervention group 1) and from 10 to 7 years in 2010 (intervention group 2), as well as lone mothers who remained unexposed (control group 1) or continuously exposed (control group 2) at those times. We did difference-in-difference analyses that controlled for differences in the fixed characteristics of participants in the intervention and control groups to estimate the effect of exposure to conditionality on the health of lone mothers. Our primary outcome was the difference in change over time between the intervention and control groups in scores on the Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). FINDINGS: The mental health of lone mothers declined in the intervention groups compared with the control groups. For intervention group 1, scores on the MCS decreased by 1·39 (95% CI -1·29 to 4·08) compared with control group 1 and by 2·29 (0·00 to 4·57) compared with control group 2. For intervention group 2, MCS scores decreased by 2·45 (-0·57 to 5·48) compared with control group 1 and by 1·28 (-1·45 to 4·00) compared with control group 2. When pooling the two intervention groups, scores on the MCS decreased by 2·13 (0·10 to 4·17) compared with control group 1 and 2·21 (0·30 to 4·13) compared with control group 2. INTERPRETATION: Stringent conditions for receiving welfare benefits are increasingly common in high-income countries. Our results suggest that requiring lone parents with school-age children toseek work as a condition of receiving welfare benefits adversely affects their mental health. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office, and National Health Service Research Scotland.

The influence of racism on cigarette smoking: Longitudinal study of young people in a British multiethnic cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Studies, predominantly from the US, suggest that positive parenting, social support, academic achievement, and ethnic identity may buffer the impact of racism on health behaviours, including smoking, but little is known about how such effects might operate for ethnically diverse young people in the United Kingdom. We use the Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health (DASH), the largest UK longitudinal study of ethnically diverse young people, to address the following questions: a) Is racism associated with smoking? b) Does the relationship between racism and smoking vary by gender and by ethnicity? (c) Do religious involvement, parenting style and relationship with parents modify any observed relationship? and d) What are the qualitative experiences of racism and how might family or religion buffer the impact? METHODS: The cohort was recruited from 51 London schools. 6643 were seen at 11-13y and 4785 seen again at 14-16y. 665 participated in pilot follow-up at 21-23y, 42 in qualitative interviews. Self-report questionnaires included lifestyles, socio-economic and psychosocial factors. Mixed-effect models examined the associations between racism and smoking. RESULTS: Smoking prevalence increased from adolescence to age 21-23y, although ethnic minorities remained less likely to smoke. Racism was an independent longitudinal correlate of ever smoking throughout adolescence (odds ratio 1.77, 95% Confidence Interval 1.45-2.17) and from early adolescence to early 20s (1.90, 95% CI 1.25-2.90). Smoking initiation in late adolescence was associated with cumulative exposure to racism (1.77, 95% CI 1.23-2.54). Parent-child relationships and place of worship attendance were independent longitudinal correlates that were protective of smoking. Qualitative narratives explored how parenting, religion and cultural identity buffered the adverse impact of racism. CONCLUSIONS: Racism was associated with smoking behaviour from early adolescence to early adulthood, regardless of gender, ethnicity or socio-economic circumstances adding to evidence of the need to consider racism as an important social determinant of health across the life course.

Longitudinal study of the influence of lung function on vascular health from adolescence to early adulthood in a British multiethnic cohort.

BACKGROUND: Vascular and lung function develop and decline over the life course; both predict cardiovascular events and mortality but little is known of how they develop over time. We analysed their relationship in a multiethnic cohort study to test whether lung function from early adolescence to young adulthood affected vascular indices. METHODS: 'DASH' (http://dash.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk) included 6643 children aged 11-13 years in 2003; a representative 10% sample (n = 665) participated in a pilot follow-up in 2013. Psychosocial, anthropometric, blood pressure (BP), and lung function measures were collected in both surveys; aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx) were measured at aged 21-23 years. Relationships between forced expiratory volume Z-scores in 1 s (zFEV1), after global initiative-ethnic adjustments and BP, PWV, and AIx were tested in linear regression and general estimating statistical models. RESULTS: In total, 488 people with complete data were included. At 11-13 years, SBP was positively associated with zFEV1 (coefficient = 1.90, 95% confidence interval 1.11-2.68, P < 0.001); but not at 21-23 years. The 10-year increase in zFEV1 was associated with rise in SBP (1.38, 0.25-1.51, P < 0.05) in mixed effect models adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, waist to height ratio, employment, reported racism, smoking, and alcohol use but DBP change was unrelated. In fully adjusted models, neither PWV nor central AIx were associated with zFEV1 at 11-13 years or 21-23 years (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Forced expiratory volume change is positively and independently associated with SBP change from adolescence to young adulthood, suggesting earlier lung function plays important roles in SBP development. Vascular indices were unrelated to lung function or its change.

Longitudinal study of cardiometabolic risk from early adolescence to early adulthood in an ethnically diverse cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To examine influences of adiposity from early adolescence to early 20s on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the multiethnic Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health (DASH) longitudinal study. METHODS: In 2002-2003, 6643 11-13-year-olds from 51 London schools participated at baseline, and 4785 were seen again at 14-16 years. Recently, 665 (97% of invited) participated in pilot follow-up at 21-23 years, with biological and psychosocial measures and blood biomarkers (only at 21-23 years). Regression models examined interplay between ethnicity, adiposity and CVD. RESULTS: At 21-23 years, ∼30-40% were overweight. About half of the sample had completed a degree with little ethnic variation despite more socioeconomic disadvantage in adolescence among ethnic minorities. Regardless of ethnicity, overweight increased more steeply between 14-16 years and 21-23 years than between 11-13 years and 14-16 years. More overweight among Black Caribbean and Black African females, lower systolic blood pressure (sBP) among Indian females and Pakistani/Bangladeshi males compared with White UK peers, persisted from 11-13 years. At 21-23 years, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was higher among Black Caribbean females, total cholesterol higher and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol lower among Pakistani/Bangladeshis. Overweight was associated with a ∼+2 mm Hg rise in sBP between 11-13 years and 21-23 years. Adiposity measures at 11-13 years were related to allostatic load (a cluster of several risk markers), HbA1c and HDL cholesterol at 21-23 years. Ethnic patterns in CVD biomarkers remained after adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent adiposity posed significant risks at 21-23 years, a period in the lifespan generally ignored in cardiovascular studies, when ethnic/gender variations in CVD are already apparent.

Can arterial wave augmentation in young adults help account for variability of cardiovascular risk in different British ethnic groups?

OBJECTIVE: Traditional cardiovascular risk factors do not fully account for ethnic differences in cardiovascular disease. We tested if arterial function indices, particularly augmentation index (AIx), and their determinants from childhood could underlie such ethnic variability among young British adults in the 'DASH' longitudinal study. METHODS: DASH, at http://dash.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/, includes representative samples of six main British ethnic groups. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and AIx were recorded using the Arteriograph device at ages 21-23 years in a subsample (n = 666); psychosocial, anthropometric, and blood pressure (BP) measures were collected then and in two previous surveys at ages 11-13 years and 14-16 years. For n = 334, physical activity was measured over 5 days (ActivPal). RESULTS: Unadjusted values and regression models for PWVs were similar or lower in ethnic minority than in White UK young adults, whereas AIx was higher - Caribbean (14.9, 95% confidence interval 12.3-17.0%), West African (15.3, 12.9-17.7%), Indian (15.1, 13.0-17.2%), and Pakistani/Bangladeshi (15.7, 13.7-17.7%), compared with White UK (11.9, 10.2-13.6%). In multivariate models, adjusted for sex, central SBP, height, and heart rate, Indian and Pakistani/Bangladeshi young adults had higher AIx (ß = 3.35, 4.20, respectively, P < 0.01) than White UK with a similar trend for West Africans and Caribbeans but not statistically significant. Unlike PWV, physical activity, psychosocial or deprivation measures were not associated with AIx, with borderline associations from brachial BP but no other childhood variables. CONCLUSION: Early adult AIx, but not arterial stiffness, may be a useful tool for testing components of excess cardiovascular risk in some ethnic minority groups.

Ethnic Differences in and Childhood Influences on Early Adult Pulse Wave Velocity: The Determinants of Adolescent, Now Young Adult, Social Wellbeing, and Health Longitudinal Study.

Early determinants of aortic stiffness as pulse wave velocity are poorly understood. We tested how factors measured twice previously in childhood in a multiethnic cohort study, particularly body mass, blood pressure, and objectively assessed physical activity affected aortic stiffness in young adults. Of 6643 London children, aged 11 to 13 years, from 51 schools in samples stratified by 6 ethnic groups with different cardiovascular risk, 4785 (72%) were seen again at aged 14 to 16 years. In 2013, 666 (97% of invited) took part in a young adult (21-23 years) pilot follow-up. With psychosocial and anthropometric measures, aortic stiffness and blood pressure were recorded via an upper arm calibrated Arteriograph device. In a subsample (n=334), physical activity was measured >5 days via the ActivPal. Unadjusted pulse wave velocities in black Caribbean and white UK young men were similar (mean±SD 7.9±0.3 versus 7.6±0.4 m/s) and lower in other groups at similar systolic pressures (120 mm Hg) and body mass (24.6 kg/m(2)). In fully adjusted regression models, independent of pressure effects, black Caribbean (higher body mass/waists), black African, and Indian young women had lower stiffness (by 0.5-0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-1.1 m/s) than did white British women (6.9±0.2 m/s). Values were separately increased by age, pressure, powerful impacts from waist/height, time spent sedentary, and a reported racism effect (+0.3 m/s). Time walking at >100 steps/min was associated with reduced stiffness (P<0.01). Effects of childhood waist/hip were detected. By young adulthood, increased waist/height ratios, lower physical activity, blood pressure, and psychosocial variables (eg, perceived racism) independently increase arterial stiffness, effects likely to increase with age.

The Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health (DASH) study: diversity, psychosocial determinants and health.

PURPOSE: The Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health longitudinal study draws on life-course models to understand ethnic differences in health. A key hypothesis relates to the role of psychosocial factors in nurturing the health and well-being of ethnic minorities growing up in the UK. We report the effects of culturally patterned exposures in childhood. METHODS: In 2002/2003, 6643 11-13 year olds in London, ~80 % ethnic minorities, participated in the baseline survey. In 2005/2006, 4782 were followed-up. In 2012-2014, 665 took part in a pilot follow-up aged 21-23 years, including 42 qualitative interviews. Measures of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors and health were collected. RESULTS: Ethnic minority adolescents reported better mental health than White British, despite more adversity (e.g. economic disadvantage, racism). It is unclear what explains this resilience but findings support a role for cultural factors. Racism was an adverse influence on mental health, while family care and connectedness, religious involvement and ethnic diversity of friendships were protective. While mental health resilience was a feature throughout adolescence, a less positive picture emerged for cardio-respiratory health. Both, mental health and cultural factors played a role. These patterns largely endured in early 20s with family support reducing stressful transitions to adulthood. Education levels, however, signal potential for socio-economic parity across ethnic groups.

Associations of blood pressure with body composition among Afro-Caribbean children in Barbados.

UNLABELLED: Despite complex presentation of adult hypertension and a concomitant obesity epidemic, little is known about overweight in relation to blood pressure among Caribbean children. We examined blood pressure in relation to body size in a cross-sectional study of 573 Barbadian children aged 9-10 years (2010-2011). The United States normative blood pressure percentiles were used to identify children with high (≥95th percentile) or high normal blood pressure (90th-95th percentile). The World Health Organization body mass index cut-off points were used to assess weight status. MAJOR FINDINGS: Thirty percent of children were overweight/obese. Percentage fat mass differed between girls (20.4%) and boys (17.72%) (p<0.05). Mean systolic blood pressure among girls was 106.11 (95% CI 105.05, 107.17) mmHg and 105.23 (104.09, 106.38) for boys. The percentages with high or high-normal mean systolic blood pressure were 14.38% (10.47, 18.29) for girls and 8.08% (4.74, 11.41) for boys. Height and body mass index were independent correlates of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Mean systolic blood pressure was related to lean mass but not fat mass, while diastolic blood pressure was associated with fat mass index and overweight. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSION: One third of 9-10 year old children in Barbados were overweight/obese and 12% had elevated mean systolic blood pressure. BP was related to body size. These findings signal potential adverse trends in weight gain and BP trends for children growing up in the context of a country that has recently undergone rapid economic transition.

Birth weight and maternal socioeconomic circumstances were inversely related to systolic blood pressure among Afro-Caribbean young adults.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examined the effects of birth weight (BWT) and early life socioeconomic circumstances (SEC) on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among Jamaican young adults. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Longitudinal study of 364 men and 430 women from the Jamaica 1986 Birth Cohort Study. Information on BWT and maternal SEC at child's birth was linked to information collected at 18-20 years old. Sex-specific multilevel linear regression models were used to examine whether adult SBP/DBP was associated with BWT and maternal SEC. RESULTS: In unadjusted models, SBP was inversely related to BWT z-score in both men (ß, -0.82 mm Hg) and women (ß, -1.18 mm Hg) but achieved statistical significance for women only. In the fully adjusted model, one standard deviation increase in BWT was associated with 1.16 mm Hg reduction in SBP among men [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.15, 0.17; P = 0.021] and 1.34 mm Hg reduction in SBP among women (95% CI: 2.21, 0.47; P = 0.003). Participants whose mothers had lower SEC had higher SBP compared with those with mothers of high SEC (ß, 3.4-4.8 mm Hg for men, P < 0.05 for all SEC categories and 1.8-2.1 for women, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: SBP was inversely related to maternal SEC and BWT among Jamaican young adults.

Effect of air pollution and racism on ethnic differences in respiratory health among adolescents living in an urban environment.

Recent studies suggest that stress can amplify the harm of air pollution. We examined whether experience of racism and exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µm and 10 µm (PM2.5 and PM10) had a synergistic influence on ethnic differences in asthma and lung function across adolescence. Analyses using multilevel models showed lower forced expiratory volume (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and lower rates of asthma among some ethnic minorities compared to Whites, but higher exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and racism. Racism appeared to amplify the relationship between asthma and air pollution for all ethnic groups, but did not explain ethnic differences in respiratory health.

Neighbourhood food and physical activity environments in England, UK: does ethnic density matter?

BACKGROUND: In England, obesity is more common in some ethnic minority groups than in Whites. This study examines the relationship between ethnic concentration and access to fast food outlets, supermarkets and physical activity facilities. METHODS: Data on ethnic concentration, fast food outlets, supermarkets and physical activity facilities were obtained at the lower super output area (LSOA) (population average of 1500). Poisson multilevel modelling was used to examine the association between own ethnic concentration and facilities, adjusted for area deprivation, urbanicity, population size and clustering of LSOAs within local authority areas. RESULTS: There was a higher proportion of ethnic minorities residing in areas classified as most deprived. Fast food outlets and supermarkets were more common and outdoor physical activity facilities were less common in most than least deprived areas. A gradient was not observed for the relationship between indoor physical activity facilities and area deprivation quintiles. In contrast to White British, increasing ethnic minority concentration was associated with increasing rates of fast food outlets. Rate ratios comparing rates of fast food outlets in high with those in low level of ethnic concentration ranged between 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.55 (Bangladeshi) and 2.62, 1.46-4.70 (Chinese). Similar to White British, however, increasing ethnic minority concentration was associated with increasing rate of supermarkets and indoor physical activity facilities. Outdoor physical activity facilities were less likely to be in high than low ethnic concentration areas for some minority groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, ethnic minority concentration was associated with a mixture of both advantages and disadvantages in the provision of food outlets and physical activity facilities. These issues might contribute to ethnic differences in food choices and engagement in physical activity.