UK: A recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) has shed light on the negative effects of childhood abuse on physical health even by young adulthood. The study found that childhood abuse is associated with negative cardiometabolic outcomes at different ages in young adults. This implies that early screening for cardiometabolic health may be useful in young people who have experienced abuse.
"Psychological, sexual, and physical abuse were related with higher BMI at 18 years. At age 25 these, we found these abuses to be related with higher insulin," the authors explained. "Also, additional associations were seen for speciifnc abuse types with outcomes at both 18 and 25 years of age." If abuse occurred in childhood (<11 years) or adolescence (11–17 years), similar associations were observed, they noted.
Growing body of evidence has shown consistent relation between childhood abuse and cardiovascular disease in later adulthood. However, its association with cardiometabolic health in younger adults are not well understood. Ana Goncalves Soares, and the team therefore aimed to assess the associations between childhood physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes at 18 and 25 years.
For this purpose, the researchers used data on 3223 participants of the ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). The participants self-reported exposure to childhood abuse retrospectively at 22 years. The associaiton between childhood abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes were assessed at 8 and 25 years.
Based on the study, the researchers found the following:
At 18 years, physical (β 1.35 kg/m2), sexual (β 0.57 kg/m2), and psychological (β 0.47 kg/m2) abuse were associated with higher body mass index.
Physical abuse was also associated with lower high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (β −0.07 mmol/L) and higher C‐reactive protein (31%), and sexual abuse was associated with higher heart rate (β 1.92 bpm).
At age 25, all 3 types of abuse were additionally associated with higher insulin, and sexual abuse was associated with lower cholesterol (−0.14 mmol/L).
The age at which abuse occurred (<11or 11–17 years) had little influence on the associations, and when sex differences were evident, associations were stronger in men.
The researchers concldued, childhood abuse is associated with negative cardiometabolic outcomes even by young adulthood.
"Further follow‐up will determine whether associations strengthen across the life course and whether sex differences persist, which is essential for targeting effective screening programs and early interventions in those who suffered abuse in childhood," they wrote.
Reference:
The study titled, "Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children," was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.021701