Nearly 61 percent of adults have experienced an adverse childhood experience, which is linked to poor health outcomes later in life, according to according to CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Nov. 5.
The CDC analyzed survey data on 144,017 adults in 25 states between 2015-17 from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The survey screened respondents for eight different types of childhood trauma, such as physical abuse or having a family member with a substance use disorder. Respondents also self-reported health outcomes for conditions including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, obesity and heavy drinking, among others.
Nearly 16 percent of adults reported four or more types of adverse childhood experiences, which were significantly associated with poorer health outcomes, health risk behaviors and socioeconomic challenges. Younger adults reported more types of childhood trauma than older adults, particularly those 65 or older.
By implementing comprehensive approaches to prevent adverse childhood experiences, the CDC estimates that the U.S. could decrease the obesity rate by 1.7 percent, heavy drinking by 23.9 percent, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 27 and depression by 44.1 percent.