Metabolic dysfunction over a life course key to healthy ageing inequality

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• UK healthy life expectancy is declining, with significant disparities based on socioeconomic status and ethnicity.
• Disadvantaged populations face early-life risk factors (e.g., low birth weight) linked to later-life morbidities like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Ethnic minorities, particularly Black and Asian individuals, experience poorer health outcomes at younger ages and are disproportionately affected by poverty in old age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize current understanding of health inequalities across the life course in the UK.
• To explore the role of cellular metabolism in contributing to social health inequalities.
• To advance the understanding of healthy ageing, particularly in disadvantaged populations.

Main Methods:

• Interdisciplinary network (CELLO) discussions focused on cellular metabolism throughout life.
• Review of existing literature on socioeconomic deprivation, ethnicity, and health disparities.
• Analysis of genetic and environmental factors influencing metabolic dysfunction.

Main Results:

• Girls in deprived areas may lose 19 years of healthy life compared to those in affluent areas.
• Health inequalities are pronounced among ethnic minorities, with poorer health reported at younger ages.
• A significant number of older adults live in poverty, with disproportionate impact on Black and Asian communities.

Conclusions:

• Poor health is not an inevitable consequence of ageing, but is exacerbated by socioeconomic disadvantage and early-life factors.
• Cellular metabolism is a key area for understanding how disadvantage shapes health trajectories.
• Further research is needed to address social health inequalities and promote healthy ageing across the life course.