Childhood poverty, immune cell aging, and African Americans' insulin resistance: A prospective study

Abstract

The present study investigated developmental pathways that can contribute to chronic disease among rural African Americans. With a sample of 342 African American youth (59% female) from the southeastern United States followed for nearly two decades (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018)(2019), we examined the prospective association between family poverty during adolescence (ages 11-18) and insulin resistance (IR) in young adulthood (ages 25-29) as well as underlying biological and psychosocial mechanisms. Results indicated family poverty during adolescence forecast higher levels of IR in young adulthood, with accelerated immune cell aging at age 20 partially mediating this association. Serial mediational models confirmed the hypothesized pathway linking family poverty, perceived life chances, cellular aging, and IR. Findings provide empirical support for theorized developmental precursors of chronic disease.

The effects of sleep disruption on metabolism, hunger, and satiety, and the influence of psychosocial stress and exercise: A narrative review

“…138 Perceived life chances partially mediated this association, suggesting that a more hopeful outlook may provide resilience to the adverse effect of psychosocial stress on glucose metabolism. 138 Together, these data support that a life course psychosocial perspective should be taken to understand and reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disease development.…”

“…137 Notably, ACEs and adult stress together mediated 65% of the difference in HOMA-IR between Black and White adults in the United States. 137 In a prospective, longitudinal study of 342 Black individuals (59% women) from the southeastern US, Barton et al 138 assessed childhood socioeconomic status (years living in poverty) using the income-to-needs ratio based on family size at ages 11-18 years and quantified insulin resistance in young adulthood at ages 25, 27, and 29 years using the updated HOMA-IR method. Childhood socioeconomic status predicted insulin resistance in young adulthood, such that every additional year living in poverty in childhood was associated with a 1.04-unit increase in HOMA-IR.…”

“…Childhood socioeconomic status predicted insulin resistance in young adulthood, such that every additional year living in poverty in childhood was associated with a 1.04‐unit increase in HOMA‐IR 138 . Perceived life chances partially mediated this association, suggesting that a more hopeful outlook may provide resilience to the adverse effect of psychosocial stress on glucose metabolism 138 . Together, these data support that a life course psychosocial perspective should be taken to understand and reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disease development.…”

“…assessed childhood socioeconomic status (years living in poverty) using the income‐to‐needs ratio based on family size at ages 11–18 years and quantified insulin resistance in young adulthood at ages 25, 27, and 29 years using the updated HOMA‐IR method. Childhood socioeconomic status predicted insulin resistance in young adulthood, such that every additional year living in poverty in childhood was associated with a 1.04‐unit increase in HOMA‐IR 138 . Perceived life chances partially mediated this association, suggesting that a more hopeful outlook may provide resilience to the adverse effect of psychosocial stress on glucose metabolism 138 .…”

Advancing positive social determinants of health through collective impact

“…Incorporating advances in biology and epigenetics, risk and protective factors that are multilayered and relational affect health development over time [1]. Birth outcomes, communicable and noncommunicable diseases, mental health and other aspects of life course health are experienced unequally in the U.S., primarily due to social factors [2,3,4]. Social determinants of health are the conditions in environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality of life outcomes and risks [5], are thus very important to address effectively.…”