Presenting Author: Kate Boyle-Steed, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health

ABSTRACT

Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have well-established associations with adverse health outcomes and unhealthy behaviors in adulthood. Yet minimal research considers the relationship between ACEs and healthy diet and exercise behaviors, which are possible mediators. Furthermore, parent ACE exposure may affect the health behaviors of parents and their children.

Objectives: Using data from Philadelphia, we examined associations of parent ACEs with diet and physical activity in both the parent and their child. We used a recently developed expanded ACE scale that includes both standard ACE measures and additional community-level stressors prevalent in low-income, urban areas.

Methods: We used population-based data from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey and the Philadelphia ACE Survey to examine relationships of parent past ACEs with present soda consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, leisure-time television/computer use, and physical activity in both the parents and their children. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate associations of parent ACEs with parent and child behaviors.

Results: In preliminary results, after adjusting for covariates, parent ACES were moderately associated with higher odds of child excessive TV watching (2-6 ACEs: OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.03-3.34; >=7 ACEs: OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.04-5.90). Parent ACEs were not associated with child diet or physical activity. Analyses of parent health behaviors are ongoing.

Implications:The high prevalence of ACEs in disadvantaged, urban populations may influence unhealthy behaviors that contribute to health disparities across the life course and across generations.

Authors: Kate Boyle-Steed; Felice Le-Scherban, PhD; Lee Pachter, DO; and Xi Wang, MPH, PhD(c).