Early-life determinants of cardiometabolic outcomes and accelerated biological ageing in Colombia
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Rivillas-Garcia, Juan Carlos
Courtin, Emilie
Winpenny, Eleanor
Robinson, Oliver
Vineis, Paolo
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are critical early-life determinants of long-term health, yet their association with biological ageing and cardiometabolic risk remains poorly understood. We examined the association between ACEs, cardiometabolic outcomes and age acceleration among older adults in Colombia.
Methods: Data were drawn from 3,385 adults aged ≥60 years (1,726 women, 1,659 men) from the nationally representative Health, Well-Being, and Ageing Study (SABE-Colombia). Five ACEs before 15 years old were assessed: emotional abuse, domestic violence, poor self-reported health, scarcity of food, and forced childhood migration due to armed conflict. Biological ageing was estimated using Klemera-Doubal Method for Biological Age (∆KDMAge). Associations between ACEs and cardiometabolic outcomes (cardiovascular disease [CVD], diabetes, hypertension, and obesity) were evaluated using logistic and Poisson regression models; and associations with biological ageing using linear regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.
Results: Among women, emotional abuse (OR=1.68), domestic violence (OR=1.55), scarcity of food (OR=1.44), and poor health status (OR=1.66) were associated with increased odds of CVD (OR=1.68). Among men, forced childhood migration was associated with higher risks of diabetes (OR=1.60), CVD (OR=1.55), and hypertension (OR=1.43). Forced childhood migration was also associated with age acceleration (∆KDMAge β =1.52), with a stronger association in women (∆KDMAge β =2.67). Dose-response associations were observed between cumulative ACEs and CVD in women and hypertension in men.
Conclusions: Early-life adversity, particularly forced childhood migration, is associated with higher cardiometabolic risk and accelerated biological ageing in later life, emphasizing the long-term biological costs of social and political instability.
Methods: Data were drawn from 3,385 adults aged ≥60 years (1,726 women, 1,659 men) from the nationally representative Health, Well-Being, and Ageing Study (SABE-Colombia). Five ACEs before 15 years old were assessed: emotional abuse, domestic violence, poor self-reported health, scarcity of food, and forced childhood migration due to armed conflict. Biological ageing was estimated using Klemera-Doubal Method for Biological Age (∆KDMAge). Associations between ACEs and cardiometabolic outcomes (cardiovascular disease [CVD], diabetes, hypertension, and obesity) were evaluated using logistic and Poisson regression models; and associations with biological ageing using linear regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.
Results: Among women, emotional abuse (OR=1.68), domestic violence (OR=1.55), scarcity of food (OR=1.44), and poor health status (OR=1.66) were associated with increased odds of CVD (OR=1.68). Among men, forced childhood migration was associated with higher risks of diabetes (OR=1.60), CVD (OR=1.55), and hypertension (OR=1.43). Forced childhood migration was also associated with age acceleration (∆KDMAge β =1.52), with a stronger association in women (∆KDMAge β =2.67). Dose-response associations were observed between cumulative ACEs and CVD in women and hypertension in men.
Conclusions: Early-life adversity, particularly forced childhood migration, is associated with higher cardiometabolic risk and accelerated biological ageing in later life, emphasizing the long-term biological costs of social and political instability.
Date Issued
2026-05-26
Date Acceptance
2026-04-07
Citation
Aging, 2026, 18, pp.605-621
ISSN
1945-4589
Publisher
Impact Journals
Start Page
605
End Page
621
Journal / Book Title
Aging
Volume
18
Copyright Statement
© 2026 Rivillas et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
License URL
Subjects
adverse childhood experiences
forced childhood migration
biological ageing
cardiometabolic outcomes
life course epidemiology
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2026-05-26