BACKGROUND: Obesity is now the most common health problem in the younger population in Western societies and obesity rates are higher in lower socioeconomic status (SES) groups. We investigated whether overweight in childhood, independently of overweight in adulthood, influenced adult employment status and later risk of having disabilities. Using data from the Danish Female Nurse Cohort study, we examined associations between overweight in childhood/adolescence, and young adulthood and disabilities and early retirement in later adulthood (>44 years) and whether it was influenced by menopausal age (<or ≥52 years). We analysed data from 10,363 female nurses recruited in 1999, who reported whether they, as children, were larger or of similar weight size as their peers at any age below 13 years, between 13 and 19 years, their weights, and heights at 25 years, their current work situation and whether they had had disabilities for more than 6 months.

RESULTS: Our results showed that overweight in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood was associated with an increased risk of disabilities and early retirement. Especially childhood overweight that did not persist into adulthood was associated with an increased risk of disabilities (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.26-2.63) and early retirement (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.38-3.03) in the postmenopausal group. A similar increased risk for disabilities (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.26-2.47) was seen for adolescent overweight that did not persist into adulthood.

CONCLUSION: The results show that in a well-educated population of women, overweight in childhood and/or adolescence had adverse socioeconomic consequences for later risk of disabilities and early retirement irrespective of weight status in adulthood.