Childhood Maltreatment and Body Mass Index in Older Adults With Chronic Illness

Background

Childhood trauma has been associated with greater psychological and physical morbidity, including a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD). Emotional dysregulation and increased body mass index (BMI) may be involved. This study evaluated whether (1) childhood maltreatment is associated with a higher BMI at study onset and with greater increases in BMI 5 years later among older adults with CAD or other chronic illnesses; (2) sex and/or CAD status moderate these results; and (3) baseline symptoms of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress (emotional dysregulation) mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and BMI at follow-up.

Methods

A total of 1232 men and women (aged 60.86 [6.95] years) completed validated questionnaires on childhood maltreatment and symptoms of psychological distress. The weight and height of the participant were measured, and the BMI was calculated using the weight (kg)/height (m²) ratio.

Results

Childhood maltreatment was not significantly associated with BMI at study onset nor at follow-up. This relation did not differ as a function of sex nor CAD status. Although childhood maltreatment was associated with significantly greater psychological distress at study onset (all P < 0.001), there latter was not found to mediate the relation between maltreatment and change in BMI at follow-up.

Conclusions

In contrast to previous literature, childhood maltreatment was not associated with BMI nor with the change in BMI over 5 years in men and women with chronic disease. However, as psychological distress increases risk for morbidity and mortality, it may represent an important target for prevention and intervention in survivors of childhood maltreatment.