Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with lower mortality in older Japanese men: the JAGES cohort study

Abstract

Background: Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage has been previously linked to increased mortality risk in adulthood. However, most previous studies have focused on middle-aged adults in Western contexts. Here, we sought to examine the association between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and mortality among healthy older Japanese adults.Methods: We conducted a 3-year follow-up of participants in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), a population-based cohort of 65- to 103-year-old Japanese adults. Childhood SES was assessed by survey at baseline. Mortality from 2010 to 2013 was analysed for 15 449 respondents (7143 men and 8306 women). Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for risk of death.Results: A total of 754 deaths occurred during the 3-year follow-up. Lower childhood SES was significantly associated with lower mortality in men, but not in women. Compared with men growing up in more advantaged childhood socioeconomic circumstances, the age-adjusted HR for men from low childhood SES backgrounds was 0.75 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56–1.00]. The association remained significant after adjustment for height, education, adult SES, municipalities of residence, health behaviours, disease status and current social relationships (HR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.47–0.87). This association was stronger among men aged 75 years or older, HR = 0.67 (95% CI: 0.47–0.95), compared with men aged 65–74 years, HR = 0.90 (95% CI: 0.54–1.51).Conclusions: Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with lower mortality among men aged 75 years or older, which may be due to selective survival, or alternatively to childhood physical training or postwar calorie restriction in this generation of Japanese males.

Socio‐economic status and dementia onset among older Japanese: A 6‐year prospective cohort study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study

“…Consistent with our study, a previous Japanese study showed that lower childhood SES was associated with lower mortality later in life among males in the oldest age group who experienced poverty in post‐World War II, compared with a younger age group. Although the oldest age group experienced calorie restrictions in early life due to harvest failure and a poorly operated food distribution system, this generation survived adverse childhood experiences to become a healthy older population . The proposed mechanisms should be carefully examined in the future.…”

“…Although the oldest age group experienced calorie restrictions in early life due to harvest failure and a poorly operated food distribution system, this generation survived adverse childhood experiences to become a healthy older population. 41 The proposed mechanisms should be carefully examined in the future. In contrast, our results with no statistical significance in men supported some previous studies.…”

Social and Behavioural Determinants of the Difference in Survival among Older Adults in Japan and England

“…Cohort data from two on-going prospective cohort studies, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) [8, 9] and the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) Project [10, 11], were used in this analysis. ELSA targets independent-living older adults in England aged 50 years or older and the first wave was conducted between 2002 and 2003.…”

Intergenerational income mobility and health in Japan: A quasi-experimental approach

“…The association between childhood socioeconomic circumstances and adult health has been extensively examined for high-income countries (Claussen et al, 2003;Galobardes et al, 2008;Kestila et al, 2009;Khang, 2006;Kuh et al, 2002;Lawlor et al, 2002;Marin et al, 2008;McKenzie et al, 2011;Mishra et al, 2013;Parsons et al, 1999;Poulton et al, 2002;Power et al, 2007;Power et al, 2005;Senese et al, 2009;Singh-Manoux et al, 2004;Tani et al, 2016;Tiffin et al, 2005;Tiikkaja et al, 2009;Turrell et al, 2007;Atheendar S. Venkataramani et al, 2016a;A. S. Venkataramani et al, 2016b).…”

“…Evidence from earlier studies in Japan suggests that, contrary to the findings for western countries, childhood socioeconomic disadvantage may be associated with lower mortality among older men. (Tani et al, 2016) The authors interpret this paradoxical result in several ways: selective survival, preventive effects of childhood physical training, and the effect of post-war calorie restrictions on chronic diseases.…”