Abstract P320: Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Associated With Greater Adiposity in Midlife Women: Findings From the Prospective Project Viva Cohort

Introduction: The associations of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with adiposity are not well characterized in midlife women, a life stage when cardiometabolic risk increases substantially. Hypothesis: More reported adverse childhood experiences are associated with greater body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Methods: At mean (SD) 51.0 (5.0) years, 432 participants in the Project Viva cohort completed questionnaires and research staff measured height and weight (used to derive BMI) and waist circumference. Women self-reported personal history of ACEs (10 possible types in 3 subdomains: abuse, neglect, and household challenges) prior to 18 years old. We used multivariable linear regression to evaluate associations of ACEs with BMI and waist circumference and adjusted for childhood social factors including parental education, US birth, and race/ethnicity. Results: Mean (SD) ACE score was 1.7 (1.9), BMI was 27.4 (6.2) kg/m 2 and WC was 91.8 (15.3) cm. In unadjusted models, each additional ACE was associated with higher BMI (β =0.49kg/m 2 , 95% CI: 0.18, 0.80) and greater waist circumference (β =0.94cm, 95% CI: 0.18, 1.71). Adjusting for childhood social factors reduced associations and 95% CIs included the null (BMI: 0.19kg/m 2 , 95% CI: -0.13, 0.51; WC: 0.35cm, 95% CI: -0.45, 1.14). Associations were stronger for ACEs related to abuse and neglect versus household challenges in unadjusted and adjusted models (Figure). Adjusting for childhood social factors attenuated the associations for neglect and household challenges subdomains, but less so for abuse. Conclusions: Adverse childhood experiences are associated with greater adiposity measures in midlife women. The differing associations of ACEs subdomains with adiposity indicate that these outcomes may be more strongly related to the type of ACE someone experiences than solely the number of ACEs experienced.