Is adult education associated with reduced coronary heart disease risk?

Background: Although there is consistent evidence that higher levels of education are associated with better health and reduced disease risk, there is little evidence on whether this is true throughout the lifecourse. This study examines whether additional higher educational qualifications acquired later on in adulthood are associated with a reduction in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk over and above qualifications from earlier on in life.

Methods: The National Child Development Study 1958 British birth cohort was analysed, with data at birth, age 7 (1965), age 23 (1981), 42 (2000) and age 44 years (2002).