Stratification in Higher Education and BMI at Midlife: The Role of Cognitive and Non-cognitive Skills

• In Event: 555 - Section on Sociology of Education Paper Session. Educational Gradients in Adult Attainments

Abstract

The inverse association between bachelor’s degree completion and body mass index (BMI) is well-documented among non-Hispanic whites, particularly at midlife. That said, existing research often neglects the highly stratified nature of postsecondary schooling in the U.S. and therefore may only tell part of the story of how bachelor’s degree completion affects BMI. As higher education has transformed from an elite to a nearly universal-based system, cognitive and non-cognitive skills developed during adolescence have become increasingly important for the sorting and selection of students into higher education. They have also been linked to numerous adult health outcomes and behaviors. In the current study, we use nationally representative longitudinal data from the sophomore cohort of High School and Beyond to investigate the relationship between stratification in higher education—as reflected by institutional selectivity—and BMI at midlife, paying particular attention to the role of skills observed in adolescence in the process. Results suggest that institutional selectivity predicts BMI at midlife among women, whereas among men, that they go to college is more important than where they go. Results further suggest that skills observed during adolescence do not independently predict BMI at midlife. There is one notable exception to this rule, however, as popularity in high school independently predicts BMI at midlife among women. Accounting for skills observed in adolescence explains the protective effect of graduating from a selective college on BMI at midlife among men. In contrast, they do little to explain this relationship among women. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Author

• Evangeleen Pattison, The University of Texas at Austin