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Experiencing childhood trauma appears to increase a young person's likelihood of smoking, substance use and developing unhealthy eating habits by contributing to behavioral problems during adolescence, such as impulsivity and poor self-control. This is the finding of new research led by the University of Bath in the UK and colleagues at the University of São Paulo in Brazil.

Addressing these mental health difficulties early could help reduce some of the long-term physical health consequences of childhood trauma, such as heart disease and other serious health problems.

The researchers analyzed data from more than 4,000 participants in the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort—one of the world's largest and most detailed long-running studies following people from birth into adulthood. The team tracked exposure to potentially traumatic events during childhood, mental health in adolescence and health-related behaviors at age 18.

Unlike many previous studies, which relied on adults recalling traumatic experiences that happened to them many years ago, this research followed young people over time from childhood into early adulthood, thereby providing a clearer picture of how trauma, mental health and later health behaviors may be connected.

The findings from the new study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , suggest that externalizing mental health problems, such as impulsive, aggressive or disruptive behaviors, partly explain the link between childhood trauma and later smoking, illicit drug use, problematic alcohol consumption and diets high in ultra-processed foods.

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