Socioeconomic influences at different life stages on health in Guangzhou, China

► Socioeconomic disadvantage usually accumulates across the life course in the West but there is no evidence from Asia. ► We found evidence of accumulation of disadvantage in China for self-rated health, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and, in women only, for metabolic syndrome. ► Accumulation explained more than any single critical period for all health outcomes except metabolic syndrome in men. ► Mechanisms linking socioeconomic disadvantage to poor health may be different in China to those in Western populations.