The early origins of socioeconomic inequalities in inflammation: a scoping review and recommendations for life course and longitudinal studies

Abstract

Inflammation is a key mechanism underpinning socioeconomic inequalities in health. In adults, lower socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with higher inflammation levels. Early life is an important period for the biological embedding of the social environment, with implications for life course health trajectories. There is therefore increasing interest in the relationship between SEP and inflammation in children and adolescents. We conducted a scoping review to summarise and critically appraise existing evidence. Studies were included if they had exposures of any SEP indicator and outcomes of any inflammatory biomarker. Community and population studies were considered. Twenty-seven of 4..