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2214.0 - The role of adverse childhood experience in youth's unhealthy weight control behaviors: Findings from a school-based sample.
Lizbeth Becerra, MPH, Mikaela Rojas, MPHc, Abnous Shahverdi, MPH, Vannessa Fuentes, MPH, Karim Kouatly, Steve Sussman, Ph.D. and Myriam Forster, PhD, MPH
Introduction:
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g., parent/caregiver substance use, mental illness, intimate partner violence, divorce/separation, incarceration) can compromise health over the life course including vulnerability for unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs; i.e. using laxatives, vomiting, skipping meals). High school students are especially vulnerable to UWCBs, but students who are ACE-exposed have been found to be even more likely to adopt UWCBs than their peers. Research has yet to examine the role of gender and ethnicity in the association between ACEs and UWCBs.
Methods
: Baseline data (N=1,791; January 2023—November 2023) are from the Supporting Student Health and Resilience (SHARE) study, a four-year longitudinal study investigating adolescent development, mental, and behavioral health trajectories. Participants attended high schools (n=12) in California, Oregon, and Georgia. General Linear Models were calculated to examine the relationship between ACEs and UWCBS, exploring gender and ethnic differences; all models adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, and state.
Results: The sample (mean age=15, SD=1.86) was 46% male, 50% female, 4% non-binary, and 34% Black/African American, 32% Non-Hispanic White, 20% Hispanic/Latino, 8% multiethnic, and 6% Asian. Approximately 21% engaged in UWCBs, and 29% reported at least one ACE. Every additional ACE was associated with significantly higher odds of engaging in UWCBs (AOR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.63-1.37, p < .001); however, no differences were found across gender or ethnicity.
Conclusion
: Our findings highlight the association of ACEs with UWCBs among adolescents, suggesting the need for trauma-informed school-based programs for vulnerable youth focused on bolstering resilience and healthy eating behaviors.
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