The Bern Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence Biorepository linked a Swiss neighbourhood index of socioeconomic position to obesity severity and cardiometabolic markers in 886 children and adolescents (mean age 11.2 years) presenting to one specialised centre. A 10-unit higher socioeconomic score was associated with a 2.57-point lower %BMIp95 and lower odds of insulin resistance (OR 0.80), low HDL, elevated non-HDL and elevated triglycerides, partly mediated by reported physical activity and screen time. Among 419 with follow-up, the annual reduction in %BMIp95 and waist-to-height ratio did not differ by socioeconomic position.
Why it is interesting: The socioeconomic gradient appears at presentation, while the annual reduction did not differ by socioeconomic position in the 419 with follow-up.