Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children
Background Although childhood abuse has been consistently associated with cardiovascular disease in later adulthood, its associations with cardiometabolic health in younger adults are poorly understood. We assessed associations between childhood physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and cardiome...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.121.021701 |
| _version_ | 1797945425973477376 |
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| author | Ana Goncalves Soares Annie Zimmerman Stan Zammit Anke Karl Sarah L. Halligan Abigail Fraser |
| author_facet | Ana Goncalves Soares Annie Zimmerman Stan Zammit Anke Karl Sarah L. Halligan Abigail Fraser |
| author_sort | Ana Goncalves Soares |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Although childhood abuse has been consistently associated with cardiovascular disease in later adulthood, its associations with cardiometabolic health in younger adults are poorly understood. We assessed associations between childhood physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes at 18 and 25 years. Methods and Results We used data on 3223 participants of the ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Exposure to childhood abuse was self‐reported retrospectively at 22 years. We used linear regression to assess the associations between childhood abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes at 18 and 25 years. At 18 years, physical (β 1.35 kg/m2; 95% CI, 0.66–2.05), sexual (β 0.57 kg/m2; 95% CI 0.04–1.11), and psychological (β 0.47 kg/m2; 95% CI 0.01–0.92) abuse were associated with higher body mass index. Physical abuse was also associated with lower high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (β −0.07 mmol/L; 95% CI, −0.13 to −0.01) and higher C‐reactive protein (31%; 95% CI, 1%–69%), and sexual abuse was associated with higher heart rate (β 1.92 bpm; 95% CI 0.26–3.58). 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; 95% CI, −0.26 to −0.01). 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. Conclusions 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T20:54:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bc7b6f528b444a4aa92a0a8d4359d78e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2047-9980 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T20:54:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc7b6f528b444a4aa92a0a8d4359d78e2023-01-23T07:23:58ZengWileyJournal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease2047-99802021-12-01102410.1161/JAHA.121.021701Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and ChildrenAna Goncalves Soares0Annie Zimmerman1Stan Zammit2Anke Karl3Sarah L. Halligan4Abigail Fraser5Population Health Sciences Bristol Medical School University of Bristol Bristol United KingdomHealth Service & Population Research King’s College London London United KingdomDivision of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics Cardiff University Cardiff United KingdomMood Disorders Centre University of Exeter Exeter United KingdomDepartment of Psychology University of Bath Bath United KingdomPopulation Health Sciences Bristol Medical School University of Bristol Bristol United KingdomBackground Although childhood abuse has been consistently associated with cardiovascular disease in later adulthood, its associations with cardiometabolic health in younger adults are poorly understood. We assessed associations between childhood physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes at 18 and 25 years. Methods and Results We used data on 3223 participants of the ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Exposure to childhood abuse was self‐reported retrospectively at 22 years. We used linear regression to assess the associations between childhood abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes at 18 and 25 years. At 18 years, physical (β 1.35 kg/m2; 95% CI, 0.66–2.05), sexual (β 0.57 kg/m2; 95% CI 0.04–1.11), and psychological (β 0.47 kg/m2; 95% CI 0.01–0.92) abuse were associated with higher body mass index. Physical abuse was also associated with lower high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (β −0.07 mmol/L; 95% CI, −0.13 to −0.01) and higher C‐reactive protein (31%; 95% CI, 1%–69%), and sexual abuse was associated with higher heart rate (β 1.92 bpm; 95% CI 0.26–3.58). 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; 95% CI, −0.26 to −0.01). 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. Conclusions 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.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.121.021701ALSPACcardiometabolic healthchildhood abuse |
| spellingShingle | Ana Goncalves Soares Annie Zimmerman Stan Zammit Anke Karl Sarah L. Halligan Abigail Fraser Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease ALSPAC cardiometabolic health childhood abuse |
| title | Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children |
| title_full | Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children |
| title_fullStr | Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children |
| title_full_unstemmed | Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children |
| title_short | Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children |
| title_sort | abuse in childhood and cardiometabolic health in early adulthood evidence from the avon longitudinal study of parents and children |
| topic | ALSPAC cardiometabolic health childhood abuse |
| url | https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.121.021701 |
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