Childhood Trauma
A traumatic event is defined as a “frightening, dangerous or violent event that poses a threat to a child’s life or bodily integrity” (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2020, para. 1). An event does not have to be experienced firsthand to be traumatic; witnessing a traumatic event that threatens the sense of security of a family member or loved one can also be traumatic. Young children’s own sense of safety depends on the perceived safety of their caregivers to whom they have an attachment.
ACEs
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to a range of adverse experiences that occur prior to age 18. ACEs include experiencing violence, abuse or neglect, witnessing violence in the home or community, having a family member attempt or die by suicide, and live in a household with substance misuse, mental health problems and instability due to parental separation or family member being in prison.
Associations
Childhood trauma is associated with an increased risk of developing obesity during adulthood among other negative health outcomes including higher rates of attention-deficit disorder, asthma, special healthcare needs and poor overall health. Childhood trauma is associated with high-risk behaviors (i.e. physical inactivity, cigarette, alcohol and substance abuse and unsafe sexual behavior) and other negative outcomes (i.e. cancer and chronic diseases).
Trauma and Obesity
The stressful psychosocial experiences that lead to an increased risk of obesity, include maltreatment (i.e. abuse and neglect), poor living conditions, financial insecurity, perceived discrimination and neighborhood violence among others. Children who endure these experiences are more likely to develop obesity starting in childhood. Overweight or obese children are then more likely to maintain their weight trajectory for many reasons and become overweight and obese adults. While all of these effects are likely to shorten life span, they also decrease life satisfaction and physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.
Impact of ACEs
The impact of ACEs during critical periods of development in childhood has been found to modify neurobiology and stress response systems which also impacts overall functioning. ACE scores in college students have been identified as markers for need for services in order to optimize student success outcomes. ACEs are associated with depressive symptoms, ADHD, higher levels of cigarette, alcohol and marijuana use, and higher BMI as well as decreased sleep and less nutritious diet.