Li L, Manor O, Power C
Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, WC1N 1EH London, UK.
Arch Dis Child. 2004 Nov;89(11):1018-23. doi: 10.1136/adc.2003.035162.
To determine whether social inequalities in height change across generations.
The target population was from the 1958 British birth cohort, all born 3rd-9th March 1958, followed to 1991, and the offspring of one third of this population. Main outcomes were height measured at 7, 11, 16, and 33 years (cohort members) and once at 4-18 years (offspring). Multilevel models applied to associations of social class of origin with (a) child-to-adult growth trajectory (cohort members), (b) height (offspring), and (c) generational height increment.
Height inequalities were observed among cohort members, with differences >2.0 cm at all ages between classes I and II, and IV and V. By adulthood, the difference in mean height had declined significantly in boys and slightly in girls. A secular trend was seen between the two generations. While male offspring had a similar mean height to their fathers in classes I and II, boys in classes IV and V gained 2.1 cm (p<0.001). Height gains of female offspring were evident in all classes, with a greater gain in classes IV and V (non-significant). The social class effect on height was weaker among offspring, with a difference between classes I and II, and IV and V of less than 1 cm.
Social inequalities in height observed among the cohort weakened substantially in the next generation due to a greater height gain among offspring from manual classes. Inequalities in childhood height have narrowed between the two generations in this study.
确定身高方面的社会不平等是否会在几代人之间发生变化。
目标人群来自1958年英国出生队列，所有成员均于1958年3月3日至9日出生，随访至1991年，以及该人群三分之一的后代。主要结局指标为队列成员在7岁、11岁、16岁和33岁时测量的身高，以及后代在4至18岁时测量一次的身高。应用多水平模型分析出生社会阶层与（a）儿童到成人的生长轨迹（队列成员）、（b）身高（后代）以及（c）代际身高增长之间的关联。
在队列成员中观察到身高不平等现象，I类与II类、IV类与V类在所有年龄段的身高差异均>2.0厘米。到成年时，男孩的平均身高差异显著下降，女孩的平均身高差异略有下降。两代人之间呈现出一种长期趋势。I类和II类家庭的男性后代平均身高与其父亲相似，而IV类和V类家庭的男孩身高增加了2.1厘米（p<0.001）。所有阶层的女性后代身高均有增加，IV类和V类家庭的增加幅度更大（无统计学意义）。社会阶层对后代身高的影响较弱，I类与II类、IV类与V类之间的身高差异小于1厘米。
由于体力劳动者阶层后代身高增长幅度更大，队列中观察到的身高方面的社会不平等在下一代中大幅减弱。在本研究中，两代人之间儿童期身高的不平等有所缩小。
