Adulthood Socioeconomic Position and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—A Comparison of Education, Occupation, Income, and Material Deprivation: The Maastricht Study

In an effort to better quantify the impact of adulthood socioeconomic circumstances on prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), we set out to examine the relative importance of four adulthood socioeconomic indicators. Using cross-sectional data from The Maastricht Study on 2011 middle-aged older men and women, our findings indicate that low educational level (OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.24–2.64), low occupational level (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.98–2.05), and material deprivation (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.33–2.38) were independently associated with T2DM. Low income (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 0.88–1.87) was the strongest, albeit not significant, SEP (socioeconomic position) correlate of prediabetes. This association confirms SEP as a multifaceted concept and indicates the need to measure SEP accordingly. In order to tackle the social gradient in prediabetes and T2DM, one should, therefore, address multiple SEP indicators and their possible pathways.