Abstract MP44: Non-Genetic Component of Height as a Surrogate Marker for Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Its Association With Cardiovascular and Brain Health: Results From HCHS/SOL
Authors: Moon Jee-Young , Filigrana Paola , Gallo Linda , Perreira Krista , Cai Jianwen , Daviglus Martha L , Fernandez-Rhodes Lindsay , Garcia-Bedoya Olga , Kaplan Robert , Qi Qibin , Thyagarajan Bharat , Tarraf Wassim , Wang Tao , Isasi Carmen R 
Published: May 2024

Introduction:
Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) has been recognized to have lifelong effects on health, but often studies rely on recollected information subject to bias. Several studies suggest taller adult height is a surrogate for favorable childhood SES, likely due to better nutrition during skeletal development. We aimed to parse out the non-genetic component of height as a refined surrogate marker of childhood SES.

Hypothesis:
We hypothesized that the higher non-genetic component of height is associated with higher childhood SES, and further, with better cardiovascular and brain health in adulthood.

Methods:
Self-reported information such as parental education, nativity (born in US 50 states/DC), age at migration, and economic hardship to pay for basic needs and access to household utilities during childhood were collected from US Hispanics/Latinos aged 18-74 years in HCHS/SOL (2008-2011). A non-genetic component of height (height
non-pgs
) was estimated by subtracting genetically predicted height from the measured height, where a height genetic prediction model was fitted on sex-standardized height with Hispanic-specific height polygenic score (height
pgs
), genetic ancestry components, and sex. The AHA-LE8 cardiovascular health (CVH) clinical score was derived. Neurocognitive function (6-item screener, Spanish English Verbal Learning Test, Word fluency test, Digit symbol substitution test) was assessed among >45 years. We examined the associations of height
non-pgs
with childhood environment and health outcomes by survey linear regressions.

Results:
A higher height
non-pgs
was associated with better childhood environment - younger generation (mean height
non-pgs
= 0.37 (SE=0.02) for born in 1980-1999 vs -0.45 (0.03) for born in 1930-1949), higher parental education (0.28 (0.02) for college vs -0.11 (0.02) for elementary), US born or migrated at younger age, and availability of plumbing, electricity, and phone during childhood - but not with childhood economic hardship. Further, height
non-pgs
was positively associated with better cognitive functions in all domains, adjusting for demographics, participants’ SES, and cardiovascular risk factors. These associations with height
non-pgs
were more pronounced than those with measured height. Height
non-pgs
showed positive associations with better clinical CVH score among 45+ aged people. Among <45 years, height
non-pgs
was negatively associated with clinical CVH score.

Conclusions:
We observed that height
non-pgs
reflects childhood SES, potentially through better nutrition and greater access to resources that promote growth. Stronger associations of height
non-pgs
and health, compared to associations with measured height, suggest that height
non-pgs
is a good proxy for childhood environment. The paradoxical association of height
non-pgs
with CVH among <45 years old needs further investigation.