Scientific Abstract

Background: Although, not treated as one, obesity in the United States is a serious public health hazard, associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, all of which are considered as the biggest health challenges by the National Institutes of Health. Childhood maltreatment (MAL) which is a significant risk factor for diabetes, heart disease and cancer, has also been associated with risk for obesity and weight-related behaviors, however, this association needs further exploration. To advance knowledge of obesity prevention, the purpose of our study was to identify potential sensitive periods of vulnerability to the exposure effects of MAL and risk for obesity through calculated BMI.

Methods: N=330 (128M,202F) young adults (age range:18-25) were selected from our larger community sample of N=2092, for neuroimaging which required assessment of their height and weight. N=87 participants reported NO childhood MAL, N=59 reported exposure to 1 type, N=51 to two types, and N=132 reported exposure to 3 or more types of MAL during the first 18 years of their lives. BMI, considered by CDC as a reliable indicator of body fatness, was calculated and categorized into Obese vs. Non-Obese according to CDC’s classification. Random forest regression with conditional inference trees was used to identify type-timing of MAL as risk factors for obesity.

Results: Two distinct patterns emerged, with Parental Physical MAL at age 2 as the strongest predictor of obesity in males (imp: 0.002,adj.p<2.30E-61), whereas in females, it was Parental Physical MAL at age 15 (imp: 0.001,adj.p<1.95E-08) as the strongest predictor. Our secondary analysis where we combined all types of MAL into emotional and physical deprivation/neglect vs. emotional and physical threat experiences, illustrated the role of threatening experiences as primary drivers of risk for obesity in both males (imp: 0.003,adj.p<9.57E-15) and females (imp: 0.002,adj.p<0.007. 

Conclusions: Childhood MAL is a potentially modifiable risk factor for obesity. We present first evidence of sensitive periods during which MAL affects obesity risk, which should be taken into consideration in obesity prevention research.