This article examines whether the social health gradients in diabetes, hypertension and obesity for men and women vary significantly across different age groups.

Methods

We use a pooled sample of German survey data from the years 2002 and 2006 with a total of 87,601 observations. We employ a varying Wagstaff index derived from the class of Gini-type concentration indices to estimate age-specific income-related health inequalities.

Results

We find significant health disadvantages among poor women in mid-age, but no significant age-specific income-related health inequalities among men. Some leveling of inequalities in diabetes is observed.

Conclusions

The results suggest that variations in age-specific inequalities are unlikely to be a purely artificial result of health-related selection into retirement or mortality.