Association of cardiovascular disease risk factors with socioeconomic position during childhood and during adulthood

Abstract Objective: To investigate strength of associations between risk factors for cardiovascular disease and socioeconomic position during childhood and adulthood. Design: Cross sectional analysis of status of cardiovascular risk factors and past and present social circumstances. Subjects: 5645 male participants in the west of Scotland collaborative study, a workplace screening study. Main outcome measures: Strength of association between each risk factor for cardiovascular disease (diastolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol concentration, level of recreational physical exercise, cigarette smoking, body mass index, and FEV1 score (forced expiratory volume in one second as percentage of expected value) and social class during childhood (based on father's main occupation) and adulthood (based on own occupation at time of screening). Results: All the measured risk factors were significantly associated with both father's and own social class (P