Differential educational patterning of cardiometabolic risks between women and men among community-dwelling Chinese adults in Hong Kong: the mediating role of obesity

Abstract

Objectives: Educational inequalities in cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) are globally recognised; nonetheless, the evidence on potential explanatory mechanisms and effective strategies for CMD prevention and inequality reduction is relatively scarce in Asia. Therefore, the current study examined the extent and potential mediators of the association of education level with CMD conditions (i.e., hypertension and diabetes) in an advanced economy in Asia.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: This territory-wide cross-sectional Population Health Survey in 2014–2015 was performed in Hong Kong. Demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle factors were collected via questionnaire, while clinical data on blood pressure and glucose levels, lipid profiles and anthropometric measures were obtained during health examination. Hypertension and diabetes statuses were objectively defined by both clinical data and the use of relevant medications.

Participants: 2297 community-dwelling adults aged between 15–84 years recruited via systematic replicated sampling of living quarters.

Results: Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis showed that lower education level was significantly associated with hypertension among women but not men, whereas similar pattern was also observed for diabetes and other related clinical risk factors. Also, general and abdominal obesity were independently associated with hypertension and diabetes among both women and men, and substantially mediated the observed inequalities across education levels among women. Specifically, abdominal obesity was a particularly strong risk factor and mediator for diabetes.

Conclusion: Educational patterning of CMD was more apparent among women in Hong Kong. Obesity control appears to be important for both overall CMD prevention and reduction of educational inequalities in CMD among women.