Adverse childhood experiences and unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood

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 attain...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Public health nutrition 2024-01, Vol.27 (1), p.1-31
Main Authors: Testa, Alexander, Zhang, Lixia, Jackson, Dylan B, Ganson, Kyle T, Raney, Julia H, Nagata, Jason M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Add health
Adolescents
Adverse childhood experiences
Behavioural Nutrition
Beverages
Childhood
Children
Diet
Education
Fast food
Food
Food consumption
Life course
Longitudinal studies
Nutrition
Obesity
Regression analysis
Research Paper
Secondary schools
Socioeconomics
Unhealthy dietary behaviour
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Summary: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. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adulthood Health ( = 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. Persons living in the United States in 2016-2018. Adults (n = 8,599) aged 33-44 years. 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. 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.
ISSN:1368-9800
1475-2727
DOI:10.1017/S1368980024000144