Associations of child sexual and physical abuse with obesity and depression in middle-aged women
Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Child Abuse & Neglect
Abstract
Objective: Examine whether (1) childhood maltreatment is associated with subsequent obesity and depression in middle-age; (2) maltreatment explains the associations between obesity and depression; and (3) binge eating or body dissatisfaction mediate associations between childhood maltreatment and subsequent obesity. Methods: Data were obtained through a population-based survey of 4,641 women (mean age = 52 years) enrolled in a large health plan in the Pacific Northwest. A telephone survey assessed child sexual and physical abuse, obesity (BMI ≥ 30), depressive symptoms, binge eating, and body dissatisfaction. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models incorporating sampling weights. Results: Both child sexual and physical abuse were associated with a doubling of the odds of both obesity and depression, although child physical abuse was not associated with depression for the African American/Hispanic/American Indian subgroup. The association between obesity and depression (unadjusted OR = 2.82; 95% CI = 2.20 – 3.62) was reduced somewhat after controlling for sexual abuse (adjusted OR = 2.54; 1.96 – 3.29) and for physical abuse (adjusted OR = 2.63; 2.03 – 3.42). Controlling for potential mediators failed to substantially attenuate associations between childhood maltreatment and obesity. Conclusions: This study is the first to our knowledge that compares associations of child abuse with both depression and obesity in adults. Although the study is limited by its cross-sectional design and brief assessments, the fact that child abuse predicted two debilitating conditions in middle-aged women indicates the potential long-term consequences of these experiences. (Author Abstract)
Description
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Article
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Keywords
child abuse, research, long term effects, psychological effects
Citation
Rohde, Paul ; Ichikawa, Laura ; Simon, Gregory E. ; Ludman, Evette J. ; Linde, Jennifer A. ; Jeffery, Robert W. ; Operskalski, Belinda H. (2008). Associations of child sexual and physical abuse with obesity and depression in middle-aged women. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(9), 878–887.