Adverse Childhood Experiences and Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors in Adulthood

Citation

Testa, Alexander; Zhang, Lixia; Jackson, Dylan B.; Ganson, Kyle T.; Raney, Julia H.; & Nagata, Jason M. (2024). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors in Adulthood. Public Health Nutrition. pp. 1-31

Abstract

Objective: This study assesses the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) 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 socioeconomic status (college educational attainment and income) in adulthood mediate this relationship.
Design: Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adulthood Health (N = 8,599), multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the association between ACEs and unhealthy dietary behaviors in adulthood. Karlson-Holm-Breen mediation analysis is used to determine the mediating effects of socioeconomic status and perceived stress.
Setting: Persons living in the United States in 2016-2018.
Participants: Adults (n = 8,599) aged 33-44 years.
Results: The findings show an association between four or more ACEs and high fast-food (Relative Risk Ratio [RRR] = 1.436, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.040, 1.983) and high sugary beverage consumption (RRR = 1.435, 95% CI = 1.002, 2.055). The association between ACEs and high fast-food consumption is partially mediated by college educational attainment, and the association between ACEs and high sugary beverage consumption is partially mediated by perceived stress and college educational attainment.
Conclusions: ACEs can have long-term consequences for unhealthy dietary behaviors in adulthood, and this relationship is partially due to a lower likelihood of higher perceived stress and college educational attainment among ACEs-exposed persons. Future research is needed to understand further the influence of ACEs on dietary patterns over the life course.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980024000144

Keyword(s)

Add Health

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Public Health Nutrition

Author(s)

Testa, Alexander
Zhang, Lixia
Jackson, Dylan B.
Ganson, Kyle T.
Raney, Julia H.
Nagata, Jason M.

Year Published

2024

Pages

1-31

Edition

January 18, 2024

ISSN/ISBN

1368-9800

DOI

10.1017/S1368980024000144

Reference ID

10269