Racial-ethnic Disparities in Inflammation: Evidence of Weathering in Childhood?

Abstract

Building on the weathering hypothesis, we advance health disparities research by assessing racial-ethnic differences in low-grade inflammation, a marker of chronic stress exposure, in young children. Using nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 6,652) and logistic regression, we find an increased risk of low-grade inflammation among Hispanic and African American children compared to white children. The risk of inflammation appears to be stronger for Hispanic and African American children with foreign-born parents compared to children of the same race-ethnicity with U.S.-born parents. Low parental education and elevated child body mass index work as partial mediators of these associations. Our findings suggest the need to understand the psychosocial challenges faced by Hispanic and African American children, particularly, those with foreign-born parents, if we are to make further progress in reducing health disparities.