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Purpose: Educational attainment is associated with multiphysiological wear and tear. However, associations with measures of socioeconomic position (SEP) across different life-stages are not established., Methods: Using regression models and data from 8105 participants from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (Understanding Society), we examined associations of lifecourse SEP with an overall biological health score (BHS). BHS is broader than usual measures of biological 'wear and tear' and is based on six physiological subsystems (endocrine, metabolic, cardiovascular, inflammatory/immune, liver, and kidney), with higher scores indicating worse health. Lifecourse SEP was based on respondents' parental, first, and most recent occupations., Results: Associations with SEP at all life-stages demonstrated higher BHS with increasing disadvantage (e.g. slope index of inequality (SII) (95 % CI) for most recent SEP: 0.04 (0.02, 0.06)). There was little difference in the magnitude of associations for SEP measured at each life-stage. Cumulative disadvantage across the lifecourse showed a stepped association with increasing BHS (SII (95 % CI): 0.05 (0.04, 0.07)). Associations were largely driven by metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory systems., Conclusion: Our results suggest that disadvantaged SEP across the lifecourse contributes cumulatively to poorer biological health, highlighting that every life-stage should be a target for public health policies and intervention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 University of Glasgow. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Among older people, walking is a popular and prevalent activity. Walking is key to increasing physical activity levels and resulting physical and mental health. In the context of rapidly ageing populations, it is important to better understand what factors are associated with walking among older people, based on the socioecological model of health., Methods: We used data from Understanding Society (n:6450), a national panel survey of UK adults aged 65 years and over living in Great Britain. Slope Indices of Inequality (SII) were calculated for weekly walking hours for older people according to individual, social and area characteristics. These include health, loneliness and social isolation, previous walking and sporting activity, residential self-selection, contact with neighbours, number of close friends and social activity. Spatial area-level data described local area crime, walkability, and proximity to retail, greenspace, and public transport amenities., Results: Multivariable models indicated that poor health, particularly requiring help with walking, was the strongest predictor of weekly walking hours (SII (95% CI) comparing those needing help vs. no help: -3.58 (-4.30, -2.87)). However, both prior sporting activity (most vs. least active: 2.30 (1.75, 2.88)) and walking for pleasure (yes vs. no: 1.92 (1.32, 2.53)) were strongly associated with increased walking several years later. Similarly having close friends (most vs. fewest, 1.18 (0.72, 1.77)) and local retail destinations (any vs. none: 0.93 (0.00, 1.86)) were associated with more weekly walking., Conclusions: Past engagement in physical activity and walking for pleasure are strong predictors of walking behaviour in older people, underscoring the importance of implementing and sustaining walking interventions across the lifespan to ensure continued engagement in later years and the associated health benefits. However, poor health significantly impedes walking in this demographic, emphasising the need for interventions that offer both physical assistance and social support to promote this activity., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Gender role attitudes have been found to be associated with the mental health of adults and adolescents, but little is known about whether parents' gender attitudes are associated with their children's mental health. Using data from Understanding Society, the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), a large-population representative sample, we examine the links between parental gender role attitudes and child mental health outcomes as measured by the total and five components of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). We construct structural equation models, separately for mothers and for fathers and for children aged 5 and 8, and adjust for key sociodemographic variables. We find that children aged 5 years exhibit fewer emotional and peer relationship problems and are more prosocial when their mothers have more egalitarian (compared to traditionalist) gender role attitudes. We also find that children are more prosocial at age 8 when their mothers have more egalitarian gender role attitudes. No statistically significant mediation effect is observed via maternal parenting behaviour. Fathers' more egalitarian gender role attitudes were associated with higher hyperactivity at age 5 and more prosocial behaviour at age 8. Further, engaging in less negative parenting behaviour completely mediates the association of fathers' more egalitarian gender attitudes with children's mental health across the majority of the SDQ scales. This suggests that parental gender attitudes may be a possible target for the prevention of mental health difficulties among children; however, future research will be required to examine the extent to which the associations we identified reflect causality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)