Association of childhood socioeconomic status with adulthood maximal exercise blood pressure: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Abstract

Purpose

Socioeconomic status has been related to resting blood pressure (BP) levels at different stages of life. However, the association of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and adulthood exercise BP is largely unknown. Therefore, we studied the association of childhood SES with adulthood maximal exercise BP.

Materials and methods

This investigation consisted of 373 individuals (53% women) participating in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study who had data concerning family SES in childhood (baseline in 1980, at age of 6–18 years) and exercise BP response data in adulthood (follow-up in adulthood in 27–29 years since baseline). A maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test with BP measurements was performed by participants, and peak exercise BP was measured.

Results

In stepwise multivariable analysis including childhood risk factors and lifestyle factors (body mass index, systolic BP, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, fruit consumption, vegetable consumption, and physical activity), lower family SES in childhood was associated with higher maximal exercise BP in adulthood (β value ± SE, 1.63 ± 0.77, p = 0.035). The association remained significant after further adjustment with participants SES in adulthood (β value ± SE, 1.68 ± 0.65, p = 0.011) and after further adjustment with adulthood body-mass index, systolic BP, maximal exercise capacity, and peak heart rate in exercise (β value ± SE, 1.25 ± 0.56, p = 0.027).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that lower childhood family SES is associated with higher maximal exercise BP in adulthood.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

• Limited data are available about the association of childhood socioeconomic status and adulthood exercise blood pressure.

• We prospectively examined whether childhood socioeconomic status is associated with adulthood exercise blood pressure in 373 participants aged 6–18 years at baseline (1980) from the longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns cohort study.

• In multivariable analysis, including childhood cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle factors, lower family socioeconomic status in childhood was associated with higher maximal exercise blood pressure in adulthood.

• The association remained significant after further adjustment with participants socioeconomic status in adulthood and also after further adjustment with adulthood body mass index, systolic blood pressure, maximal exercise capacity and peak heart rate in exercise.

• Low childhood socioeconomic status predicted also higher risk of exaggerated exercise blood pressure response in adulthood, although this finding was diluted to non-significant after adjustment with adulthood body mass index and systolic blood pressure.

• These findings suggest that lower childhood family socioeconomic status is associated with higher maximal exercise blood pressure in adulthood.

Keywords:

• Childhood
• socioeconomic status
• exercise
• blood pressure

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The Young Finns Study has been financially supported by the Academy of Finland: grants 356405, 322098, 286284, 134309 (Eye), 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378 (Salve), 117797 (Gendi), and 141071 (Skidi); the Social Insurance Institution of Finland; Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospitals (grant X51001); Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Finnish Cultural Foundation; The Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation; Diabetes Research Foundation of Finnish Diabetes Association; EU Horizon 2020 (grant 755320 for TAXINOMISIS and grant 848146 for To Aition); European Research Council (grant 742927 for MULTIEPIGEN project); Tampere University Hospital Supporting Foundation; Finnish Society of Clinical Chemistry; the Cancer Foundation Finland; pBETTER4U_EU (Preventing obesity through Biologically and bEhaviorally Tailored inTERventions for you; project number: 101080117); and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.