Understanding the pathways linking childhood trauma to cardiometabolic risk among low-and-middle-income youth: a mixed methods investigation

• Grant number: 23/12905-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Agreement: ESRC, UKRI
• Principal Investigator: Alicia Matijasevich Manitto
• Grantee: Alicia Matijasevich Manitto
• Principal researcher abroad: Sarah Louise Halligan
• Institution abroad: University of Bath, England
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Abbie Jordan ; Abigail Fraser ; Gemma Hammerton ; Graeme Fraser Fairchild ; Iná da Silva dos Santos ; Jon Heron ; Luciana Tovo Rodrigues ; Marcia Thereza Cavalcanti Couto

Abstract

People who have been exposed to childhood trauma are at an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) in adulthood. The development of these diseases is closely related to lifestyle, with certain 'health risk behaviors' playing a significant role in their onset, such as smoking, an inadequate diet, insufficient sleep, and lack of exercise. The mechanisms by which childhood trauma leads to health risk behaviors and CMD are not yet fully understood. Childhood trauma exposure also contributes to the risk of various mental health disorders, accounting for nearly half of all childhood-onset mental disorders and a quarter of those that emerge in adulthood. The project consists of two components: 1) a quantitative component aimed at examining the pathways through which childhood trauma exposure leads to health risk behaviors and CMD, delving into the potential mediating role of mental disorders in these associations; and 2) a qualitative component designed to assist in the interpretation of quantitative results and obtain diverse perspectives on the potential pathways from trauma to mental health and cardiometabolic risk behaviors in this population. We will evaluate youth who are part of a Brazilian population-based cohort, which has detailed measurements of childhood trauma exposure, mental health, key cardiometabolic risk behaviors, and indicators of cardiometabolic health, all recorded repeatedly throughout development up to age 18. The results of this project will contribute to the formulation of recommendations and the development of preventive strategies aimed at reducing the medical and social consequences of childhood maltreatment in adulthood. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

XAVIER, MARIANA OTERO; TOVO-RODRIGUES, LUCIANA; SANTOS, INA S.; MURRAY, JOSEPH; MARUYAMA, JESSICA MAYUMI; MATIJASEVICH, ALICIA. Harsh parenting trajectories from childhood through adolescence and socioemotional competences at age 18: 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study. Journal of Affective Disorders, v. 366, p. 11-pg., 2024-09-04. (14/13864-6, 20/07730-8, 23/12905-0)