Childhood Maternal School Leaving Age (Level of Education) and Risk Markers of Metabolic Syndrome in Mid-Adulthood: Results from the 1958 British Birth Cohort

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between childhood maternal level of education (CMLE) and changes in anthropometric and laboratory risk markers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in mid-adulthood using results from the 1958 British Birth Cohort Study.

Design

Cohort study.

Participants

A total of 9376 study samples consisting of subjects that participated in the biomedical survey of the national child development study (NCDS) carried out between 2002 and 2004 were used for the analysis.

Main Outcome Measures

Five risk markers of MetS: (i) HDL-cholesterol (ii) triglyceride (iii) blood pressure (BP) including systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) (iv) waist circumference (WC) and (v) glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c).

Methods

The NCDS or the 1958 British birth cohort data deposited in the UK data service by the centre for longitudinal studies were used for analyses. Ordinary least squares regression was used to determine unit changes in the outcome variables given CMLE.

Results

The estimates for unadjusted regression analysis of individual risk markers indicated a significant relationship between CMLE and alterations in the five risk markers of MetS (HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, WC, HbA1c, and BP) in midlife. After adjustment for birth and lifestyle characteristics/health behaviours, the relationship between CMLE and the risk markers was attenuated for HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and HbA1c but remained significant for WC 0.70 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.065–1.30, p<0.001) and SBP 1.48 (95% CI 0.48–2.47 p<0.001).

Conclusion

There was a positive association between lower CMLE and the risk of MetS using the NCDS data. Lifestyle characteristics may be influential determinants of MetS risk in mid-adulthood.

Keywords:

• maternal education
• metabolic syndrome
• risk markers
• biomedical survey
• NCDS data

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets analysed during the current study are available in the UK data service repository, https://www.ukdataservice.ac.uk/get-data. The NCDS biomedical survey data is made available by applying for a special license to UK Data Service.

Ethics Approval

This study was approved by the research ethics committee of the University of Bedfordshire (No. IHREC828) to carry out this research. A special license (No11906) for NCDS biomedical survey data was granted by the UK Data service.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the UK Data Service and Centre for Longitudinal Studies for granting a special license to use NCDS biomedical data. The authors are also grateful to the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Bedfordshire for approval to carry out this study.

Author Contributions

All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed to submit to the current journal; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

There is no funding to report.