Sex and race define the effects of adverse childhood experiences on self-reported BMI and metabolic health biomarkers

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are an independent risk factor for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, stroke and ischemic heart disease. However, the effect of ACEs considering sex and race are not often reported in cohorts showing multiracial composition, with power to evaluate effects on underrepresented populations. AIM: To determine how sex and race affected the association of combined and individual ACEs with metabolic health biomarkers in the Southern Community Cohort Study (2012–2015). METHODS: Self-reported data were analyzed from ACE surveys performed during the second follow-up of a cohort comprised by over 60% of Black subjects and with an overall mean age of 60 years. RESULTS: BMI steadily increased with cumulative ACEs among Black and White women, but remained relatively stable in White men with ≥ 4 ACEs. Contrary, Black men showed an inverse association between ACE and BMI. Secondary analysis of metabolic outcomes showed that physical abuse was correlated with a 4.85 cm increase in waist circumference in Black subjects. Total cholesterol increased among individuals with more than 4 ACEs. In addition, increases in HbA1c were associated with emotional and maternal abuse in Black women and sexual abuse in White women. CONCLUSIONS: BMI is strongly associated with cumulative ACEs in women regardless the race, while waist circumference is strongly associated with ACEs in Black individuals, which combined with reduced BMI may indicate increased central adiposity in Black men. Our study suggests that sex and race influence the contribution of certain ACEs to impair metabolic health. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13293-022-00439-x.