Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behaviours
Background: Individuals impacted by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at greater risk of developing obesity, however, few studies have prospectively measured ACEs and obesity during childhood. Associations with the adoption of obesogenic behaviours during childhood, which directly contribute...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2451480 |
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| author | Ladan Hashemi Maryam Ghasemi Brooklyn Mellar Pauline Gulliver Barry Milne Fiona Langridge Tracey McIntosh Christa Fouche Boyd Swinburn |
| author_facet | Ladan Hashemi Maryam Ghasemi Brooklyn Mellar Pauline Gulliver Barry Milne Fiona Langridge Tracey McIntosh Christa Fouche Boyd Swinburn |
| author_sort | Ladan Hashemi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Individuals impacted by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at greater risk of developing obesity, however, few studies have prospectively measured ACEs and obesity during childhood. Associations with the adoption of obesogenic behaviours during childhood, which directly contribute to obesity are also understudied.Objective: To examine associations between individual and cumulative ACEs, obesity, and obesogenic behaviours during childhood.Methods: Data came from Growing Up in New Zealand. The study sample was restricted to those who provided obesity data at age 8 and one child per mother, resulting in an analytic sample of 4895 children. A newly developed ACEs index consisted of nine individual ACEs and cumulative ACEs scores (0, 1, 2, 3, 4+ ACEs), two obesity measures (BMI and waist circumference/height ratio), and eight obesogenic behaviours including unhealthy dietary behaviours, inadequate sleep duration, excessive screen time, and physical inactivity were included in the analyses.Results: ACEs were prevalent among this cohort of NZ children. By age eight, 87.1% of children experienced at least one ACE and 16% experienced at least 4 ACEs. Six individuals assessed ACEs showed significant associations with childhood obesity (AORs ranging from 1.22 to 1.44). A significant dose–response effect was observed where the experience of a higher number of ACEs was associated with greater risk for obesity (AORs increased from 1.78 for one ACE to 2.84 for 4+ ACEs). Further, a significant dose–response relationship was found between experiencing two or more ACEs and higher odds of adopting obesogenic behaviours (AORs ranging from 1.29 for physical inactivity to 3.16 for no regular breakfast consumption).Conclusions: ACEs exposure contributes to population-level burden of childhood obesity. Our findings highlight the importance of a holistic understanding of the determinants of obesity, reinforcing calls for ACEs prevention and necessitating incorporation of ACEs-informed services into obesity reduction initiatives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4aabd84220b7471cb27b8ac2232e6db6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj-art-4aabd84220b7471cb27b8ac2232e6db62025-01-24T09:43:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662025-12-0116110.1080/20008066.2025.2451480Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behavioursLadan Hashemi0Maryam Ghasemi1Brooklyn Mellar2Pauline Gulliver3Barry Milne4Fiona Langridge5Tracey McIntosh6Christa Fouche7Boyd Swinburn8Violence and Society Centre, City, University of London, London, UKFaculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandCentre of Methods and Policy Application in Social Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandWānanga o Waipapa School of Māori Studies and Pacific Studies, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandFaculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandBackground: Individuals impacted by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at greater risk of developing obesity, however, few studies have prospectively measured ACEs and obesity during childhood. Associations with the adoption of obesogenic behaviours during childhood, which directly contribute to obesity are also understudied.Objective: To examine associations between individual and cumulative ACEs, obesity, and obesogenic behaviours during childhood.Methods: Data came from Growing Up in New Zealand. The study sample was restricted to those who provided obesity data at age 8 and one child per mother, resulting in an analytic sample of 4895 children. A newly developed ACEs index consisted of nine individual ACEs and cumulative ACEs scores (0, 1, 2, 3, 4+ ACEs), two obesity measures (BMI and waist circumference/height ratio), and eight obesogenic behaviours including unhealthy dietary behaviours, inadequate sleep duration, excessive screen time, and physical inactivity were included in the analyses.Results: ACEs were prevalent among this cohort of NZ children. By age eight, 87.1% of children experienced at least one ACE and 16% experienced at least 4 ACEs. Six individuals assessed ACEs showed significant associations with childhood obesity (AORs ranging from 1.22 to 1.44). A significant dose–response effect was observed where the experience of a higher number of ACEs was associated with greater risk for obesity (AORs increased from 1.78 for one ACE to 2.84 for 4+ ACEs). Further, a significant dose–response relationship was found between experiencing two or more ACEs and higher odds of adopting obesogenic behaviours (AORs ranging from 1.29 for physical inactivity to 3.16 for no regular breakfast consumption).Conclusions: ACEs exposure contributes to population-level burden of childhood obesity. Our findings highlight the importance of a holistic understanding of the determinants of obesity, reinforcing calls for ACEs prevention and necessitating incorporation of ACEs-informed services into obesity reduction initiatives.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2451480Adverse childhood experienceschildhood obesityobesogenic behavioursobesity reductionNew ZealandExperiencias adversas en la infancia |
| spellingShingle | Ladan Hashemi Maryam Ghasemi Brooklyn Mellar Pauline Gulliver Barry Milne Fiona Langridge Tracey McIntosh Christa Fouche Boyd Swinburn Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behaviours European Journal of Psychotraumatology Adverse childhood experiences childhood obesity obesogenic behaviours obesity reduction New Zealand Experiencias adversas en la infancia |
| title | Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behaviours |
| title_full | Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behaviours |
| title_fullStr | Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behaviours |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behaviours |
| title_short | Associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences, childhood obesity, and obesogenic behaviours |
| title_sort | associations between specific and cumulative adverse childhood experiences childhood obesity and obesogenic behaviours |
| topic | Adverse childhood experiences childhood obesity obesogenic behaviours obesity reduction New Zealand Experiencias adversas en la infancia |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2451480 |
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