Adverse Childhood Experiences and Unhealthy Dietary Behaviours in Adulthood

Overview

Journal Public Health Nutr

Publisher Cambridge University Press

Date 2024 Jan 18

PMID 38234114

Authors

Alexander Testa

Lixia Zhang

Dylan B Jackson

Kyle T Ganson

Julia H Raney

Jason M Nagata

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: This study assesses the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) occurring before the age of 18 years and patterns of fast-food consumption and sugary beverage consumption in adulthood. The study also examines how perceived stress and socio-economic status (SES) (college educational attainment and income) in adulthood mediate this relationship.

Design: Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adulthood Health ( 8599), multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the association between ACE and unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood. Karlson-Holm-Breen mediation analysis is used to determine the mediating effects of SES and perceived stress.

Setting: Persons living in the USA in 2016-2018.

Participants: Adults ( 8599) aged 33-44 years.

Results: The findings show an association between four or more ACE and high fast-food (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1·436, 95 % CI = 1·040, 1·983) and high sugary beverage consumption (RRR = 1·435, 95 % CI = 1·002, 2·055). The association between ACE and high fast-food consumption is partially mediated by college educational attainment, and the association between ACE and high sugary beverage consumption is partially mediated by perceived stress and college educational attainment.

Conclusions: ACE can have long-term consequences for unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood, and this relationship is partially due to a lower likelihood of higher perceived stress and college educational attainment among ACE-exposed persons. Future research is needed to understand further the influence of ACE on dietary patterns over the life course.

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