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The association between social relations and health outcomes is well described, but pathways are relatively poorly understood. Inflammation has been suggested as a potential physiological pathway, linking social relations to adverse health outcomes. However, previous studies have shown ambiguous results and have for the vast majority been based on studies small in sample size. The aim of the present study is to examine the association between comprehensive measures of structural and positive as well as negative functional aspects of social relations, across four relational domains—partner/spouse, children, other family and friends, and the level of systemic low-grade inflammation in a large population-based middle-aged cohort and to examine variation by gender and socioeconomic position in these associations. The study comprised of 5576 participants in the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank. The inflammatory biomarkers collected in late midlife included C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6, and TNF-alpha. Multiple linear regression models were implemented to explore associations between social relations and inflammatory measures controlling for gender, age, socioeconomic position, marital status, early major lifeevents and morbidity. Results show weak and ambiguous associations in all analyses. There were no strong indications of interaction with socioeconomic position. Concluding cautiously, men appear to be more vulnerable toward living alone and low contact frequency with family compared to women as regards high level of low-grade inflammation. In conclusion, this large-scale population-based study among middle-aged men and women showed no association between social relations and low-grade inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the associations between annual measures of economic hardship (EH) across 22 years of adulthood and objective measures of early ageing in a Danish late-middle-aged population (N = 5575). EH (years < 60% of the National median equivalized household disposable income) was experienced by 18% during 1987–2008. Four or more years in EH (reference = null years in EH) was related to poorer physical capability (chair rise: − 1.49 counts/30 s [95% confidence interval (CI) − 2.36, − 0.61], hand grip strength: − 1.22 kg [95% CI − 2.38, − 0.07], jump height: − 1.67 cm [95% CI − 2.44, − 0.91] and balance: 18% [95% CI 9, 28]), poorer cognitive function (Intelligenz-Struktur-Test: − 1.50 points [95% CI − 2.89, − 0.12]) and higher inflammatory levels (C-reactive protein: 22% [95% CI 4, 44], and Interleukin-6: 23% [95% CI 10, 39]). Comparing four EH trajectories, people with a high versus low probability of EH over time had poorer physical capability (chair rise: − 1.70 counts/30 s [95% CI − 3.38, − 0.01], grip: − 4.33 kg [95% CI − 6.50, − 2.16], jump: − 1.68 cm [95% CI − 3.12, − 0.25] and balance: 31% [95% CI 12, 52]). No associations were observed with tumour necrosis factor-α. Results were adjusted for sex, age, long-term parental unemployment/financial problems, education, baseline income and cohort. This study suggested EH for four or more years to be associated with poorer physical capability, cognitive function and increased inflammatory levels in midlife. High probability of EH across adulthood was similarly related to poorer physical capability and CRP, but not cognitive function and the remaining inflammatory markers. In conclusion, preventive initiatives focusing on reducing the burden of sustained economic hardship may lead to increased healthy ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]