Turrell Gavin
School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove.
Aust N Z J Public Health. 2002 Oct;26(5):468-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-842x.2002.tb00349.x.
To examine the relationship between socio-economic position and height in early adulthood.
A representative probability sample of Australian households (part of the 1995 National Health Survey). Data were collected by face-to-face interviews. Socio-economic position was measured using occupation and family income. Participants comprised 9,577 Australian-born males and females aged 20-24 (n = 3,186), 25-29 (n = 3,184), and 30-34 (n = 3,207). Height was self-reported and operationalised in terms of mean height and 'short' stature (defined as 1 SD below mean height for each sex-age subgroup).
Graded, positive associations were found between occupation, family income, and height for males and females in each age cohort. Among males, mean height differences between blue-collar employees and professionals were 1.1 cm to 1.5 cm (depending on age-cohort), and for females, 1.6 cm to 2.1 cm. The corresponding height differences for males and females living in the least and most affluent families were 1.6 cm to 2.3 cm, and 1.0 cm to 2.5 cm, respectively. Persons in blue-collar jobs and those in low-income families were more likely to be classified as 'short'.
Estimates of mortality risk associated with short stature suggest that these height differences translate to about a 2-5% increased risk of death for the most disadvantaged groups. Given that socioeconomic height differences in adulthood have their genesis in the formative stages of biological and social development, public health intervention efforts need to focus on early life exposures and environments. The greatest reduction in height inequalities, and by extension health inequalities, is likely to flow from macro-level public policies to alleviate poverty and minimise the social and economic divide.
研究成年早期社会经济地位与身高之间的关系。
澳大利亚家庭的代表性概率样本（1995年全国健康调查的一部分）。通过面对面访谈收集数据。社会经济地位通过职业和家庭收入来衡量。参与者包括9577名20 - 24岁（n = 3186）、25 - 29岁（n = 3184）和30 - 34岁（n = 3207）的澳大利亚出生的男性和女性。身高由自我报告得出，并根据平均身高和“矮”身材进行操作化定义（定义为每个性别 - 年龄亚组中低于平均身高1个标准差）。
在每个年龄组中，男性和女性的职业、家庭收入与身高之间均发现了分级的正相关关系。在男性中，蓝领员工与专业人员之间的平均身高差异为1.1厘米至1.5厘米（取决于年龄组），女性为1.6厘米至2.1厘米。生活在最贫困和最富裕家庭中的男性和女性相应的身高差异分别为1.6厘米至2.3厘米和1.0厘米至2.5厘米。从事蓝领工作的人和低收入家庭的人更有可能被归类为“矮”身材。
与矮身材相关的死亡风险估计表明，这些身高差异转化为最弱势群体约2 - 5%的死亡风险增加。鉴于成年期社会经济身高差异在生物和社会发展的形成阶段就已产生，公共卫生干预措施需要关注生命早期的接触因素和环境。身高不平等的最大减少，进而健康不平等的最大减少，可能源于宏观层面减轻贫困和最小化社会经济差距的公共政策。
