How Early Socioeconomic Adversity Combines With BMI-Linked Genetics to Launch Adverse Developmental Processes Leading to Economic Hardship

Abstract

The present study used a sample of 9,100 youth from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to identify how early socioeconomic adversity and BMI-related genetics combine to influence youth BMI and academic achievement/failure across successive life stages (i.e., adolescence, emerging adulthood, young adulthood), resulting in adverse economic outcomes in young adulthood. The results indicate that early socioeconomic adversity and BMI-related genetics initiate additive, cascading, and cumulative processes through BMI and academic achievement leading to economic hardship after accounting for relevant demographic and contextual variables, including race/ethnicity. Importantly, the BMI-related polygenic score revealed a moderate genetic influence on youth BMI and academic achievement at each life stage. The findings highlight the need to inform longitudinal health and obesity research with molecular genetic information.

Keywords

academic achievement education life course longitudinal obesity poverty

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