The 3E Study: Economic and Educational Contributions to Emerging Adult Cardiometabolic Health

Fordham University, Bronx NY

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT College is a time of changing socioeconomic position (SEP) that is not often clearly captured in health research, despite strong ties between SEP and health. Over one-third of college students report being overweight or obese, and the incidence of cardiovascular disease outcomes among young adults has been an increasing cause of concern. This risk is exacerbated for low-SEP students, and students of color, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The proposed longitudinal research addresses these important scientific gaps by creating and studying a de novo, longitudinal cohort of 4,000 racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse young adult college students recruited as first-year students from two HSIs in California and followed over three years, regardless if they leave or stay in college. To best recruit and retain students, an undergraduate student researcher from the population of interest will provide insight into how best recruit and retain study participants. They will conduct a literature review on how best to recruit and retain students from racially diverse campuses with high proportions of students who are pell grant eligible and the first in their family to go to college and assist in creating and modifying recruitment and retention materials that are culturally appropriate, ethical and effective. The study will incorporate anthropometric, institutional administrative, smartphone, behavioral, and self-reported data. The specific aims are: (1) To determine the contribution of emerging adults’ economic stressors (e.g.,income, wealth, financial stress, basic needs, residential environment, subjective social status) to cardiometabolic health outcomes (e.g., weight-related measures, blood pressure) over time; (2) To determine the contribution of educational protective factors (e.g., use of social supports, academic supports, basic needs supports) to cardiometabolic health outcomes over time; (3) examine weight-related behaviors (i.e., sleep, physical activity, diet, disordered eating, smoking) as mechanisms of associations between economic stress, educational protective factors, and cardiometabolic health. This large, diverse sample will allow us to examine how racialized and gendered identities may modify associations between economic and educational exposures and cardiometabolic outcomes, which will help increase understanding of the complex interplay between different social determinants of health and help inform potential interventions to reduce health disparities.