Association between parental absence during childhood and metabolic syndrome during adulthood: A cross-sectional study in rural Khanh Hoa, Vietnam

• Published in: PloS one 2023-03, Vol.18 (3), p.e0282731-e0282731
• Main Authors: Manandhar Shrestha, Rachana, Mizoue, Tetsuya, Pham, Thuy Thi Phuong, Fukunaga, Ami, Hoang, Dong Van, Nguyen, Chau Que, Phan, Danh Cong, Hachiya, Masahiko, Huynh, Dong Van, Le, Huy Xuan, Do, Hung Thai, Inoue, Yosuke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Adverse childhood experiences; Age; Biology and Life Sciences; Blood pressure; Childhood; Children; Cholesterol; Complications and side effects; Consent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnosis; Divorce; Family income; Government employees; Health aspects; Health risks; High density lipoprotein; Households; Humans; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental health; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Metabolic syndrome X; Middle Aged; Parenting; Parents; People and Places; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Risk factors; Rural areas; Rural communities; Rural Population; Social Sciences; Socioeconomic factors; Statistical analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Triglycerides; Vietnam - epidemiology; Womens health
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282731

This study aimed to determine the association between parental absence during childhood and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adulthood among middle-aged adults in rural Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam. Given that broader literature on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) suggests a strong positive association between ACEs and cardiometabolic risk or diseases, we hypothesized that parental absence during childhood, which is a major component of ACEs, is more likely to cause MetS in adulthood. Data were obtained from the baseline survey of the Khanh Hoa Cardiovascular Study, in which 3000 residents aged between 40 to 60 years participated. MetS was assessed using the modified Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria. It was considered parental absence if the participants had experienced parental absence due to death, divorce, or out-migration before three or between three to 15 years. We used multiple logistic regression analyses to examine the association between parental absence during childhood and metabolic syndrome during adulthood. There was no significant association between parental absence and MetS; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] was 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76-1.22) for those who experienced parental absence between three to 15 years and the corresponding figure for those who experienced it before three years was 0.93 (95% CI = 0.72-1.20). No significant associations were observed when these were examined for the causes of parental absence. This study did not support our hypothesis of an association between parental absence during childhood and metabolic syndrome during adulthood. Parental absence may not be a predictor of MetS among Vietnamese people in rural communities.