Effects of family life cycle events on individual Body Mass Index trajectories: Evidence from China

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q1 ANTHROPOLOGY

American Journal of Human Biology Pub Date : 2024-06-12 DOI:10.1002/ajhb.24116

Yicen Jiang, Qin Zhu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

Body mass index (BMI) is an important predictor of one's physiological health. China is a family-centric nation compared to Western societies and has already entered an aged society. Exploring the characteristics and patterns of BMI changes during household events in China provides critical insights into the biological and social determinants of health, which can help enhance the scientific validity of health promotion measures and contribute to the realization of healthy aging goals in China.

Methods

Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1993 to 2015, this article utilizes two-level growth curve models with piecewise spline specifications for age to examine the effects of family life cycle events on BMI trajectories for age groups and gender differences.

Results

Compared to continuing status, experiencing transition in an individual's family life cycle could lead to more fluctuating variations in their BMI trajectories, generally, there is a faster increase in BMI during youth and a faster decline during old age. As for gender heterogeneity, males are more affected by divorce, widowhood, and empty nest, whereas females' BMI changes are influenced by entering/maintaining marriage and parenthood.

Conclusions

A long-term perspective has revealed the significance of family events on BMI throughout the life course. Future research should focus on the nutrition and health of specific populations, especially elderly individuals in vulnerable groups.

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家庭生命周期事件对个人体重指数轨迹的影响：来自中国的证据。

目的：身体质量指数（BMI）是预测一个人生理健康状况的重要指标。与西方社会相比，中国是一个以家庭为中心的国家，并已进入老龄化社会。探讨中国家庭事件中 BMI 变化的特征和模式，有助于深入了解健康的生物和社会决定因素，从而提高健康促进措施的科学性，促进中国健康老龄化目标的实现：本文利用中国居民健康与营养调查（CHNS）1993-2015年的数据，采用两水平增长曲线模型和年龄分段样条法，研究了家庭生命周期事件对不同年龄组和性别差异的BMI轨迹的影响：与持续状态相比，经历家庭生命周期的转变会导致个体的BMI轨迹出现更多的波动变化，一般来说，青年时期BMI上升较快，老年时期下降较快。在性别异质性方面，男性受离婚、丧偶和空巢的影响更大，而女性的 BMI 变化则受步入/维持婚姻和为人父母的影响：从长远角度看，家庭事件对整个生命过程中的体重指数具有重要影响。未来的研究应侧重于特定人群的营养和健康，尤其是弱势群体中的老年人。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

American Journal of Human Biology 生物-生物学

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

13.80%

发文量

124

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： The American Journal of Human Biology is the Official Journal of the Human Biology Association. The American Journal of Human Biology is a bimonthly, peer-reviewed, internationally circulated journal that publishes reports of original research, theoretical articles and timely reviews, and brief communications in the interdisciplinary field of human biology. As the official journal of the Human Biology Association, the Journal also publishes abstracts of research presented at its annual scientific meeting and book reviews relevant to the field. The Journal seeks scholarly manuscripts that address all aspects of human biology, health, and disease, particularly those that stress comparative, developmental, ecological, or evolutionary perspectives. The transdisciplinary areas covered in the Journal include, but are not limited to, epidemiology, genetic variation, population biology and demography, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, growth and aging, physical performance, physical activity and fitness, ecology, and evolution, along with their interactions. The Journal publishes basic, applied, and methodologically oriented research from all areas, including measurement, analytical techniques and strategies, and computer applications in human biology. Like many other biologically oriented disciplines, the field of human biology has undergone considerable growth and diversification in recent years, and the expansion of the aims and scope of the Journal is a reflection of this growth and membership diversification. The Journal is committed to prompt review, and priority publication is given to manuscripts with novel or timely findings, and to manuscripts of unusual interest.