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.