Almost nine out of 10 children in New Zealand have had a significant source of trauma in their lives by the time they are 8, with impacts on their mental and physical health, a new study has found.
Almost nine out of 10 children in New Zealand have had a significant source of trauma in their lives by the time they are 8, with impacts on their mental and physical health, a new study has found.
One of the largest studies of its kind in New Zealand suggests 87% of children endure some form of trauma - such as family violence or addiction, bullying, abuse or divorce - by age 8.
The research shows the more of these experiences there are, the more likely the child is to develop obesity.
But it’s not all bad news: positive experiences and care can help offset the effects of trauma in children.
Nearly nine in 10 Kiwi kids endure some kind of trauma before turning 8 – be it bullying, parental drug or alcohol addiction, violence or family break-ups.
But positive experiences and care can help insulate children from lasting harm.
That’s according to a major new study that draws a link between childhood trauma and developing obesity later in life.
Using data from nearly 5000 children tracked by the Growing Up in New Zealand Study, the researchers looked at what they consider “adverse childhood experiences”.
That included being bullied or abused; having parents split up, imprisoned, or addicted to drugs or alcohol; or living in homes with family violence or mental illness.
Earlier studies suggested that about half of Kiwi adults had such episodes in childhood.
But the latest findings, out today, put that prevalence much higher, at 87%, with disproportionate rates among Māori and Pasifika children, and those living in deprivation.
Children who’d had at least one of those traumatic experiences were twice as likely to be obese by the age of 8 as those who hadn’t – and that risk worsened as the numbers of setbacks mounted.
Study leader Dr Ladan Hashemi, of the University of Auckland and City St George’s University of London. Photo / University of Auckland
Children who’d had four or more of them, for instance, were nearly three times more likely to develop obesity, which in turn could lead to serious mental and physical health issues.
The research also turned up some positives.
Factors like parents being in committed relationships, mothers interacting with their children and being involved in social groups - and children having good early educations, and living in homes with routines and rules – could help counter the negative experiences.
But children needed at least four of those insulating factors to offset the risk of obesity.
The study’s lead author, Dr Ladan Hashemi, said parents, schools and policymakers could help boost kids’ physical and mental health by giving them positive experiences early on.
“This isn’t just about preventing obesity; it’s about helping children thrive,” said Hashemi, of the University of Auckland and City St George’s University of London.
Measures like household routines, better access to early childhood education and reducing poverty could all make a difference, she said.
Dr Hiran Thabrew told the Herald if we want to improve mental and physical health we need to invest in preventing adverse events in childhood. Photo / RNZ
Dr Hiran Thabrew, a child psychiatrist and paediatrician at Starship Children’s Hospital and the University of Auckland, said the findings highlighted the balance between risk and protective factors during a child’s upbringing. “While the effects of some adverse experiences can be potentially offset by positive ones, the number, nature and probably timing of each will determine eventual outcomes,” said Thabrew, who wasn’t part of the study. “If we really want to improve mental and physical health during adolescence and adulthood, we probably need to invest more in measures that prevent adverse events,” he said.
Jamie Morton is a specialist in science and environmental reporting. He joined the Herald in 2011 and writes about everything from conservation and climate change to natural hazards and new technology.
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