The associations between an “elite” education and health benefits at age 42 were still strong even when taking into account family socioeconomic background, childhood health and cognitive ability.
The findings are from researchers at the Centre of Longitudinal Studies at the UCL Institute of Education. They analysed information on more than 8,400 men and women born in England, Scotland and Wales in 1970 and compared their health at age 42 with the type of secondary school they attended.
The 42-year-olds who had attended comprehensive schools had body mass indexes, on average, 1.8 points higher than those who were privately educated. Private school pupils also watched less television and ate fewer takeaway meals – activities that can be associated with poorer health.
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