RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Socioeconomic position and markers of adiposity among female teachers in Mexico JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health JO J Epidemiol Community Health FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP jech-2017-209179 DO 10.1136/jech-2017-209179 A1 Kelly A Hirko A1 Martin Lajous A1 Eduardo Ortiz-Panozo A1 Ruy Lopez-Ridaura A1 Paul J Christine A1 Felice Lȇ-Scherban A1 Megan S Rice A1 Tonatiuh Barrientos-Gutierrez YR 2017 UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2017/08/09/jech-2017-209179.abstract AB Background Occupation is often used as an indicator of socioeconomic position (SEP) in epidemiological studies, although it is unclear whether variation in SEP within a single occupational group is associated with health outcomes, including adiposity measures.Methods We created a multidimensional SEP index using principal component analysis based on self-reported data from 36 704 female teachers in Mexico from 2008 to 2011. Multivariable Poisson regression models with robust variance were used to evaluate cross-sectional associations of SEP and markers of adiposity, including obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2), elevated waist-to-hip ratio (WHR >85) and high waist circumference (WC >88 cm).Results The most relevant indicators of SEP in this study were internet access and private health insurance. We observed significant inverse trends in obesity, WHR and WC in relation to SEP (all ptrend<0.001). Compared with women with low SEP, women in the middle (prevalence ratio (PR) 0.97, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.02) and high (PR 0.85, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.90) SEP tertiles were less likely to be obese in multivariable models. Results were similar in models of WHR and WC adjusting for BMI. For example, women with high versus low SEP were 14% less likely to have an elevated WHR (PR 0.86, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.89) and 7% less likely to have a high WC (PR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.97).Conclusions Our findings suggest that SEP remains relevant for adiposity within a single occupational setting and indicate that a stronger conceptualisation of SEP in epidemiological studies may be warranted.