Socioeconomic Status Adolescents Research Articles

Mediating effect of milk intake between family socioeconomic status and body mass index of children and adolescents

Objective To examine the association between family socioeconomic status (SES) and body mass index (BMI) z-score of children and adolescents, and the mediating effect of milk intake in this association. Methods In the study, 2 496 students and their parents were selected from 16 schools (4 urban middle schools, 4 rural middle schools, 4 urban primary schools, and 4 rural primary schools) using a stratified cluster sampling method. The frequency and amount of weekly milk intake from the 7-day Food Records reported by the students were extracted. The parents' education and household income were the indicators of family SES. The mediating effect of milk intake between family SES and BMI z-score of children and adolescents were tested using the PROCESS add-on SPSS software. Results Parents' education level and household income were positively correlated with BMI z-score of children and adolescents (P=0.001 and 0.038, respectively). The overall average daily intake of milk was (0.92±0.84) servings, and the frequency was (4.43±2.70) days per week. The students of primary school, in urban areas, with higher parents' education level, with higher household income, and being non-obese were likely to have higher frequency and amount of milk intake. Milk intake was one of the mediating factors in the relationship between family SES and BMI z-score of children and adolescents. Specifically, the mediating effect of the frequency of milk intake accounted for -6.57% and -10.21% of the total effects of the association between the parents' education and the household income with BMI z-score of children and adolescents, respectively. The mediating effect of the daily intake of milk accounted for -3.63% and -5.86% of the total effects of the association between the parents' education and the household income with BMI z-score of children and adolescents, respectively. Conclusion The milk intake of Chinese children and adolescents still needs to be improved. High family SES was found to contribute to high BMI z-score, mediated by the milk intake which was the protective factors of BMI z-score. Further research is needed to study other dietary or physical exercise behaviors that mediate the relationship between family SES and BMI z-score of children and adolescents in order to adopt more targeted interventions.

Is educational attainment associated with young adult cardiometabolic health?

Educational disparities in health and mortality are well-documented and evidence suggests that they may be widening. Yet, there is much unknown about when educational disparities begin to emerge and for whom. This paper investigates the association between educational attainment and cardiometabolic health in young adults with critical attention paid to differences across racial/ethnic and sex subgroups. We focus on cardiometabolic health in young adulthood as it is particularly relevant for understanding current population health trends. We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) when participants were aged 12–19 years (Wave I) and aged 24–32 years (Wave IV). Using a series of logistic regression models, we first estimated the association between education and five markers of cardiometabolic health (high-risk blood pressure, high-risk waist circumference, diabetes/pre-diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and high-risk inflammation). We then examined the extent to which this association was explained by adolescent health and both adolescent and young adult socioeconomic status (SES) (including parental education, participant educational attainment, household income, and employment status). Finally, we investigated whether the association between educational attainment and cardiometabolic health differed by race/ethnicity and sex. We found evidence of an association between educational attainment and cardiometabolic health that persisted net of adolescent health, adolescent SES, and young adult SES. We also found some evidence of modest differences in this association by race/ethnicity and sex. Our findings suggest that even as early as young adulthood there are disparities in cardiometabolic health by educational attainment, which may lead to even larger disparities in late life health.

Effect of early determinants on adolescent fat-free mass: RPS cohort of São Luís - MA.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE:To analyze the effects of early determinants on adolescent fat-free mass.METHODS:A cohort study with 579 adolescents evaluated at birth and adolescence in a birth cohort in São Luís, Maranhão. In the proposed model, estimated by structural equation modeling, socioeconomic status (SES) at birth, maternal age, pregestational body mass index (BMI), gestational smoking, gestational weight gain, type of delivery, gestational age, sex of the newborn, length and weight at birth, adolescent socioeconomic status, “neither study/nor work” generation, adolescent physical activity level and alcohol consumption were tested as early determinants of adolescent fat-free mass (FFM).RESULTS:A higher pregestational BMI resulted in higher FFM in adolescence (Standardized Coefficient, SC = 0.152; p < 0.001). Being female implied a lower FFM in adolescence (SC = −0.633; p < 0.001). The negative effect of gender on FFM was direct (SC = −0.523; p < 0.001), but there was an indirect negative effect via physical activity level (SC = −0.085; p < 0.001). Women were less active (p < 0.001). An increase of 0.5 kg (1 Standard Deviation, SD) in birth weight led to a gain of 0.25 kg/m2 (0.106 SD) in adolescent FFM index (p = 0.034). Not studying or working had a negative effect on the adolescent's FFM (SC = −0.106; p = 0.015). Elevation of 1 SD in the adolescent's physical activity level represented an increase of 0.5 kg/m2 (0.207 SD) in FFM index (p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:The early determinants with the greatest effects on adolescent FFM are gender, adolescent physical activity level, pregestational BMI, birth weight and belonging to the “neither-nor” generation.

Psychische Struktur, intrapsychische Konflikte und Abwehrstile in der Adoleszenz

Associations Between Personality Structure, Unconscious Conflicts, and Defense Styles in Adolescence According to the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis in Childhood and Adolescence, associations between personality structure, unconscious conflicts, and defense styles are postulated. So far, an empirical investigation of these associations in mentally healthy adolescents is missing. The present study aims to contribute to the understanding of unconscious conflicts as well as the unconscious defense of conflicts by elucidating intrapersonal factors within a normative sample. Furthermore, the aim of this study is to analyse the extent to which sex, age, and socioeconomic status are related to personality structure, unconscious conflicts, and defense styles. A total of 175 adolescents (Mage = 16.98 ± 1.83) participated in the study. Measurement instruments were the Structure and the Conflict Questionnaire of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis in Childhood and Adolescence as well as the Defense Style Questionnaire for Adolescents and Young Adults. Sex-specific differences were found for the passive identity conflict. Regarding the personality structure, unconscious conflicts or defense styles, associations with age or socioeconomic status of adolescents were not found. The associations between personality structure, unconscious conflicts, and defense styles as postulated by OPD-CA-2 were empirically proven regarding the passive self-worth, guilt, and identity conflict as well as the active guilt conflict. Overall, this study indicates the low presence of unconscious conflicts in mentally healthy adolescents and the possibility of elucidating these conflicts by means of personality structure and defense styles.

Distinct influence of parental occupation on cortical thickness and surface area in children and adolescents: Relation to self-esteem.

Studies of socioeconomic disparities have largely focused on correlating brain measures with either composite measure of socioeconomic status (SES), or its components—family income or parental education, giving little attention to the component of parental occupation. Emerging evidence suggests that parental occupation may be an important and neglected indicator of childhood and adolescent SES compared to absolute measures of material resources or academic attainment because, while related, it may more precisely capture position in social hierarchy and related health outcomes. On the other hand, although cortical thickness and surface area are brain measures with distinct genetic and developmental origins, large‐scale neuroimaging studies investigating regional differences in interaction of the composite measure of SES or its components with cortical thickness and surface area are missing. We set out to fill this gap, focusing specifically on the role of parental occupation on cortical thickness and surface area by analyzing magnetic resonance imaging scans from 704 healthy individuals (age = 3–21 years). We observed spatially distributed patterns of (parental occupation × age2) interaction with cortical thickness (localized at the left caudal middle frontal, the left inferior parietal and the right superior parietal) and surface area (localized at the left orbitofrontal cortex), indicating independent sources of variability. Further, with decreased cortical thickness, children from families with lower parental occupation exhibited lower self‐esteem. Our findings demonstrate distinct influence of parental occupation on cortical thickness and surface area in children and adolescents, potentially reflecting different neurobiological mechanisms by which parental occupation may impact brain development.

School Socioeconomic Composition and Adolescent Socioeconomic Status Interaction Effect, Physical Activity and School Lunch in Overweight and Obesity

Background: Adolescent school socioeconomic composition (SEC) and socioeconomic status (SES) are negatively linked to overweight and obesity. No study has investigated the interaction effect between these two indicators. The main objective of this study is to investigate this relationship. Methods: 1038 adolescents from 11 public high-schools of the third biggest French region accepted to participate (response rate: 91.4%). They self-reported anthropomorphic variables, SES, school lunch and physical activity (PA) levels. The body mass index was divided into six categories according to the Centers for Control of Disease. Adjusted-multivariable binary logistic regressions analysis without and with interaction term were performed in overweight or obesity (overweight|obesity). Models fit was compared using the Aikake Information Criterion. Odds-ratio (OR) and their 95% accelerated-bootstrap confidence interval (95%BCa CI) were computed to estimate overweight|obesity risk. Findings: An interaction effect was observed between adolescent SES and school SEC. Among low-SES adolescents, we observed an absence of school-SEC effect. In contrast, medium-SES adolescents were at greater risk in low-SEC (OR=10.75, 95%BCa CI=2.67-64.57) and medium-SEC (OR=5.08, 95%BCa CI=1.55-24.84) compared with high-SEC schools. High-SES adolescents in low-SEC schools were at greater risk compared with those in medium-SEC (OR=5.94, 95%BCa CI=1.94-17.29) and high-SEC schools (OR=4.99, 95%BCa CI=1.71-13.14). A social gradient was observed in higher-SEC schools. In medium-SEC and high-SEC schools, low-SES adolescents were at greater risk compared with high-SES (OR=2.79, 95%BCa CI=1.22-7.41) and medium-SES (OR=6.86, 95%BCa CI=1.06-5.22*106) adolescents, respectively. Interpretation: Adolescent PA, lunch at- and outside-school help to understand these differences. Implications for obesity prevention initiatives are discussed. Funding Statement: The authors declare that have no funding for this research. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was also approved by the Aix-Marseille University Ethics Committee (No. 2019-23-05-003).

Individual and local socioeconomic status: associations in adolescents’ health (Barcelona province)

Abstract Individual-level and local socioeconomic status (SES) are both significant social determinants of adolescents' health, but usually their distinct effects are not properly disentangled. A validated health survey of 76 items was conducted among last compulsory education course students (15/16 years old) in 59 municipalities from Barcelona province, Spain (N = 7351). Individual SES was defined by the Family Affluence Scale and municipal SES by its Gross Disposable Household Income. Both were dichotomized and crossed. Bivariate analyses were performed for all variables, comparing Low (L) and High (H) Individual (i) SES, L and H Municipal (m) SES and then the 4 groups: LiLm, LiHm, HiLm, HiHm. Chi square tests were performed with SAS. The significance level was set to 0.05. Most of the items (self-perceived health, general mood, night leisure, excessive use of internet, and unsafe sex, among others) were only related to individual SES (in the direction usually described in literature) without municipal influence. Only for sexual harassment was found a significant association with the municipal SES (more on Lm) but no differences between individual SES groups. Different patterns emerged when individual and municipal significant associations were detected. In a LiLm-LiHm-HiLm-HiHm order, a healthy gradient was observed in frequency of sport and physical activity, neighbourhood assessment and adherence to Mediterranean Diet. On the contrary, a risk gradient appeared on tobacco, cannabis and alcohol consumption. An opposite SES effect was found on gender violence and on sexual health information demands: Individual SES was positively associated with demand while Municipal SES was negatively associated. No association with neither individual nor municipal SES was found on information interest on bullying. The different effect of individual and municipal SES and their interactions on various aspects of adolescents' health should be taken into account in health promotion. Key messages Individual SES have stronger association with most of adolescents’ health items than Municipal SES. The latter reinforces, except on gender and sexual health information demands where link is opposed. Different effects and interactions between individual and municipal socioeconomic status in adolescents’ health should be incorporated in health promotion priorization.

The moderating role of socioeconomic status on level of responsibility, executive functioning, and cortical thinning during adolescence.

Brain development is exquisitely sensitive to psychosocial experiences, with implications for neurodevelopmental trajectories, for better or worse. The premise of this investigation was that the level of responsibility in adolescence may relate to brain structure and higher-order cognitive functions. In a sample of 108 adolescents, we focused on cortical thickness (using FreeSurfer) as an indicator of neurodevelopment in regions previously implicated in executive functioning (EF) and examined performance on an EF task outside of the scanner, in the context of level of responsibility. We further investigated whether socioeconomic status (SES) and family stress moderated the relationship between responsibility and brain structure or EF. Findings revealed that greater responsibility was related to thinner left precuneus and right middle frontal cortex. In lower SES adolescents, greater responsibility predicted thinner left precuneus and right middle frontal cortex, which have been consistently implicated in EF. Higher SES adolescents did not show structural differences related to responsibility, however, they did exhibit better EF performance. It may be that circumstances surrounding the need for greater responsibility in lower SES households are detrimental to neurodevelopment compared to higher SES households. Alternatively, responsibility may act as a protective factor that bolsters cortical thinning in regions related to EF.

Clinical correlates of socioeconomic status in adolescent bipolar disorder

BackgroundLower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with symptomatic severity, comorbidity, and functional impairment in adults with bipolar disorder (BD). Little is known about clinical correlates of SES in adolescents with BD. MethodsParticipants included 195 adolescents, 13–20 years old, with BD type I, II or not otherwise specified (NOS). Diagnoses were determined by standardized semi-structured interviews. Based on the Hollingshead scale, participants were divided into “low” (SES 1–3) and the “high” (SES 4–5) SES groups. Demographic and clinical correlates of SES were evaluated in univariate analyses; significant variables were evaluated in a logistic regression model. ResultsCompared to participants in the high SES group (n = 150), participants in the low SES group (n = 45) were significantly younger, less likely to be of Caucasian race and living with natural parents. In the logistic regression model, controlling for age and race, the low SES group had higher risk of police contact or arrest (OR = 2.41, 95% CI:1.14–5.11, p = 0.022), less treatment with stimulants(OR = 0.20 95% CI: 0.06–0.67, p = 0.009), and more post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (OR = 4.08, 95% CI:1.33–12.46, p = 0.014) compared to the high SES group. In sensitivity analyses that further controlled for intact family, the finding of higher rates of police contact or arrest was no longer significant. LimitationsCross-sectional design; higher-skewed SES sample. ConclusionsLower SES in adolescent BD is associated with higher legal risk, increased PTSD, and under-treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Future studies are needed to evaluate the inter-relationships of these correlates, using prospective designs that can evaluate the direction of these associations. Further studies incorporating neurobiological markers are also needed to explore mechanisms underlying SES-related differences in BD.

What features of a nutrition resource are important to adolescents of a low socioeconomic status?

To identify the key features of a nutrition resource that are important to adolescents of a low socioeconomic status (SES). Structured interviews were conducted to explore participants' preferences relating to the features of a nutrition resource. Thematic framework analysis was used to determine key themes, subthemes and concepts from the data. Streetsport activity sessions, north-east of Scotland. Eighteen adolescents aged 12-17 years from a low socioeconomic background. The overarching themes identified were barriers and facilitators to engagement with a nutrition resource. Adolescents expressed a preference for an app, and this was mainly attributed to convenience and low cost. There was also an emphasis on the integral role social media has in their lives. Aesthetics was a facilitator for both male and female participants, with a particular focus on weight loss. Behaviour change support, including reminders, access to simple recipes and adopting a 'small change approach', were identified as possible facilitators, whereas cost, environmental influences, and existing eating habits were identified as possible barriers to engaging with a nutrition resource. A number of subthemes, including aesthetics, cost and convenience, which have previously been reported in adolescents with a higher SES, were prominent in our research. The present study contributes to insights relating to behaviour change tools that should be considered when developing a nutrition resource targeting disadvantaged adolescents. Further research focusing on how mobile phone technology and social media can be utilised to support dietary behaviour change in low SES adolescents is recommended.

Injuries among adolescents in Greenland: behavioural and socio-economic correlates among a nationally representative sample.

BackgroundInjuries are among the most important threats to adolescent health, making examination of the patterns and risk factors a critical area of research. There exists a paucity of information on the health and injury experience of school-attending adolescents in Greenland. Consenting Greenlandic schoolchildren (n = 2,254) aged 9–19 years were included in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study 2005/2006. The aim of this study was to examine the socio-economic and behavioural correlates that were associated with injury occurrence among school-attending Greenlandic adolescents.MethodsThis study made use of two multinomial regression models to examine injury occurrence regarding potential influencing factors such as physical activity, risk behaviours, bullying and family socio-economic status (SES).ResultsThose self-reporting 1–2 injuries within the recall period were more likely to be male (OR = 1.70; CI [1.39–2.09]), involved in physical fighting (OR = 1.82; CI [1.33–2.47]), bullied (OR = 1.81; CI [1.47–2.24]) and participated in bullying others (OR = 1.53; CI [1.25–1.89]). Those reporting three or more injuries were again mostly male (OR = 2.13; CI [1.44–3.14]), involved in physical fighting at higher rates (OR = 4.47; CI [2.86–7.01]), bullied more often (OR = 2.43; CI [1.65–3.57]) and were more likely to bully others (OR = 1.67; CI [1.13–2.45]). Living without a mother proved to be significantly correlated with suffering 3 or more injuries during the recall period (OR = 1.63; CI [1.05–2.52]). The study results support the idea that factors that were found to be associated with injury occurrence, such as bullying and aggressive behaviour, should be taken into account when conducting future research on the nature of injuries among Greenlandic adolescents. More research on this topic is needed to identify factors that might modify the associations between injuries and adolescent behaviour and SES.

Time-trends and correlates of obesity in Czech adolescents in relation to family socioeconomic status over a 16-year study period (2002\u20132018)

BackgroundThe main objective of the study is to analyse the changes in the prevalence of obesity among Czech adolescents between 2002 and 2018 with regard to the socioeconomic status (SES) of adolescents’ families and to find SES-separated correlates of adolescents’ obesity in 2018.MethodsA nationally representative sample of 29,879 adolescents (49.6% of them boys) aged 10.5–16.5 years was drawn from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children cross-sectional, self-reported questionnaire surveys conducted in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 in Czechia. Chi-square (χ2) tests were performed to assess the changes in the prevalence of obesity in both genders and all SES categories of adolescents between 2002 and 2018, and SES category-related differences in the prevalence of obesity in 2018 separately for boys and girls. A series of multiple stepwise logistic regression (backward elimination) analyses were used to reveal obesity correlates separately for SES categories of adolescents.ResultsAcross the quadrennial surveys from 2002 to 2018, we observed a clear increase in the prevalence of obesity in all SES categories of adolescents, which was most striking (p < 0.05) in adolescents with low SES (boys: + 7.5% points (p.p.); girls + 2.4 p.p.). When all the survey cycles were compared, the highest prevalence of obesity was evident in the low-SES adolescents in 2018, both in girls (5.1%) and boys (12.0%). Regardless of the adolescent SES category, the lower odds of obesity were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with regular vigorous physical activity (PA), participation in organized sport, and daily consumption of sweets. In addition, at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA significantly reduced the odds of obesity in adolescents of low and high SES categories.ConclusionsAn unreasonable increase in the prevalence of obesity in adolescents with low SES highlights the need to prevent obesity in adolescents with a low-SES background. Additionally, significantly higher odds of obesity in 11- and 13-year-old adolescents from low-SES families, compared with their peers aged 15, indicated an expectable rise in obesity in older low-SES adolescents in the near future.

Associations between Civic Engagement and Community College Completion in a Nationally Representative Sample of Young Adults

ABSTRACT Educational attainment is associated with voting and political trust, but less is known about whether voting and political trust are associated with subsequently higher educational attainment. In a sample of voting-age two-year college students in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health (n= 1212), this study identified three markers of civic engagement in 2001 associated with greater attainment of certificates, associates degrees, and bachelor’s degrees in 2008: voting, trusting the federal government, and affiliating with a political party. To minimize confounding, we used multivariate regression after exact and nearest-neighbor Mahalanobis matching within propensity score calipers on pre-college parent and adolescent socioeconomic status, demographics, educational expectations, health status, and parent civic participation. Voting in the 2000 presidential election was associated with greater likelihood of attaining a BA, or above; trusting the federal government was associated with greater likelihood of earning a certificate, associate’s degree, or BA or above; and affiliating with a political party predicted greater likelihood of earning an associate’s degree or BA, or above. These results suggest that two-year colleges that encourage voter registration and political activities may increase their students’ engagement and educational attainment.

Common mental disorders and socioeconomic status in adolescents of ERICA.

ABSTRACTINTRODUCTIONAdolescence is a stage of great social, family and emotional demands, and the literature has related common mental disorder (CMD) with poor living conditions.OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between CMD and socioeconomic status in Brazilian adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.METHODThis is a cross-sectional study with data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (ERICA – Estudo de Riscos Cardiovasculares em Adolescentes). The outcome was CMD and the exposure was socioeconomic status assessed by race/skin color, maternal schooling, resident/room relationship, type of school, existence of maid and bathroom at home, and work activity. For the calculation of prevalence, the survey mode was used and, in the multivariate analysis, logistic regression with p < 5%, as well as the 95% confidence interval.RESULTSThe prevalence of CMD in girls was 23.3%, and in boys, 11.1%. The variables associated with CMD in girls were age between 15 and 17 years (OR = 1.34; 1.17–1.51), studying in private school (OR = 1.13; 1.01–1.27), having a housemaid (OR = 1.15; 1.00–1.34) and, as a protective factor, unpaid work (OR = 0.64; 0.55–0.75). Boys also had a higher chance of CMD in the highest age group (OR = 1.42; 1.18–1.71) and when they had a housemaid (OR = 1.26; 1.02–1.57), whereas unpaid work decreased this chance (OR = 0.79; 0.67–0.95).CONCLUSIONSocioeconomic variables that were associated with CMD were suggestive of higher economic class, whereas unpaid work favored the mental health of adolescents, results contrary to the literature on socioeconomic status and CMD.

The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Snacking and Weight among Adolescents: A Scoping Review.

Eating behaviors, including unhealthy snacking or excessive snacking leading to excess calorie consumption, may contribute to obesity among adolescents. Socioeconomic status (SES) also significantly influences eating behaviors, and low SES is associated with increased risk for obesity. However, little is known regarding the relationship between snacking behavior and SES among adolescents and how this may contribute to obesity-related outcomes. The primary objective of this scoping review was to review the literature to assess and characterize the relationship between SES and snacking in adolescents. The secondary objective was to assess weight-related outcomes and their relation to snacking habits. Included articles were published between January 2000 and May 2019; written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish; and focused on adolescents (13–17 years). In total, 14 bibliographic databases were searched, and seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Preliminary evidence from the seven included studies suggests a weak but potential link between SES and snacking. Additionally, these dietary patterns seemed to differ by sex and income type of country. Finally, only three of the included studies addressed weight-related outcomes, but the overall available evidence suggests that snacking does not significantly affect weight-related outcomes. Due to the small number of included studies, results should be interpreted with caution.

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COVER ILLUSTRATION Morphological findings from Jenkins et al. (this issue) Subcortical structural variations associated with low socioeconomic status in adolescents With art by AD_Images and aitoff, Pixabay. Figure depicts Left lateral view of results from subcortical vertex-wise linear regression analysis of association between Income:Poverty ratio in females aged 14 years, showing a mostly negative relationship between socioeconomic status and local shape variation.

Investigating core assumptions of the "American Dream": Historical changes in how adolescents' socioeconomic status, IQ, and GPA are related to key life outcomes in adulthood.

The present study examines how historical changes in the U.S. socioeconomic environment in the 20th century may have affected core assumptions of the "American Dream." Specifically, the authors examined whether such changes modulated the extent to which adolescents' intelligence (IQ), their grade point average (GPA), and their parents' socioeconomic status (SES) could predict key life outcomes in adulthood about 20 years later. The data stemmed from two representative U.S. birth cohorts of 15- and 16-year-olds who were born in the early 1960s (N = 3,040) and 1980s (N = 3,524) and who participated in the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth (NLSY). Cohort differences were analyzed with respect to differences in average relations by means of multiple and logistic regression and for specific points in each outcome distribution by means of quantile regressions. In both cohorts, IQ, GPA, and parental SES predicted important educational, occupational, and health-related life-outcomes about 20 years later. Across historical time, the predictive utility of adolescent IQ and parental SES remained stable for the most part. Yet, the combined effects of social-ecological and socioeconomic changes may have increased the predictive utility (that is, the regression weights) of adolescent GPA for educational, occupational, and health outcomes over time for individuals who were born in the 1980s. Theoretical implications concerning adult development, aging, and late life inequality are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations Between Habitual School-Day Breakfast Consumption Frequency and Academic Performance in British Adolescents.

Studies indicate that breakfast positively affects learning in children. The present study aimed to examine associations between habitual school-day breakfast consumption frequency and academic performance, as measured by the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). The GCSE is a national academic qualification obtained by most British children during secondary education. Adolescents aged 16–18 years (n = 294; females: 77.2%) completed a retrospective 7-day food diary to report breakfast intake and a questionnaire to report GCSE grades. Breakfast was defined as any food or drink containing ≥5% of total energy expenditure (TEE) consumed up to 10:00 a.m. on school days. Habitual weekly school-day breakfast consumption frequency was categorized as rare (0–1 school days), occasional (2–3 school days), or frequent (4–5 school days). GCSE grades were aggregated into point scores and linear regression models were applied. Participants' GCSE grades in Mathematics and English were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. Adolescents who rarely consumed breakfast on school days had a significantly lower capped point score (β = −0.13, p < 0.05) and mean point score (β = −0.14, p < 0.05) compared with frequent consumers. Low/middle socio-economic status (SES) adolescents who rarely consumed breakfast were significantly less likely to achieve higher Mathematics grades compared to low/middle SES adolescents who frequently consumed breakfast [adjusted cumulative odds ratio (OR): 0.35 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.17–0.72]. This cross-sectional study demonstrates that habitual school-day breakfast consumption amongst adolescents is a significant correlate of GCSE attainment. The results offer promising associative evidence which warrants further exploration in well controlled studies.

Subcortical structural variations associated with low socioeconomic status in adolescents

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with a higher probability of multiple exposures (e.g., neighborhood violence, poor nutrition, housing instability, air pollution, and insensitive caregiving) known to affect structural development of subcortical brain regions that subserve threat and reward processing, however, few studies have examined the relationship between SES and such subcortical structures in adolescents. We examined SES variations in volume and surface morphometry of subcortical regions. The sample comprised 256 youth in eighth grade (mean age = 13.9 years), in whom high dimensional deformation mapping of structural 3T magnetic resonance imaging scans was performed. Vertex‐wise linear regression analyses examined associations between income to poverty ratio and surfaces of the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens and pallidum, with the covariates age, pubertal status, and intracranial volume. Given sex differences in pubertal development and subcortical maturation at this age, the analyses were stratified by sex. Among males, who at this age average an earlier pubertal stage than females, the relationship between SES and local shape variation in subcortical regions was almost entirely positive. For females, the relationship between SES and local shape variation was negative. Racial identity was associated with SES in our sample, however supplementary analyses indicated that most of the associations between SES and subcortical structure were independent of it. Although these cross‐sectional results are not definitive, they are consistent with a scenario where low SES delays structural maturation of subcortical regions involved with threat and reward processing. Future longitudinal studies are needed to test this hypothesis.

Adolescent Socioeconomic Status and Mental Health Inequalities in the Netherlands, 2001-2017.

Even in wealthy countries there are substantial socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent mental health. Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators—parental SES, adolescent subjective SES and adolescent educational level—are negatively associated with adolescent mental health problems, but little is known about the interplay between these SES indicators and whether associations have changed over time. Using data from the Dutch Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) studies (n = 27,020) between 2001 and 2017, we examined associations between three SES indicators and six indicators of adolescent mental health problems. Linear regressions revealed that adolescent subjective SES and adolescent educational level were independently negatively associated with adolescent mental health problems and positively associated with adolescent life satisfaction, but parental SES had negligible independent associations with adolescent mental health problems and life satisfaction. However, when interactions between SES indicators were considered, high adolescent subjective SES was shown to buffer the negative association between parental SES and adolescent mental health problems and the positive association between parental SES and life satisfaction. Despite societal changes between 2001 and 2017, socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent mental health were stable during this period. Findings suggest that all three SES indicators—parental SES, adolescent subjective SES and adolescent educational level—are important for studying socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent mental health.