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Objective: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with a greater risk of obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Adipokines, including leptin and adiponectin, play vital roles in biological processes linked to obesity and cardiometabolic risk. The adiponectin/leptin ratio may represent a marker of impaired hormonal regulation of adipose tissue. Prior cross-sectional studies suggest patterns of higher plasma leptin and lower adiponectin among adults who have experienced ACEs. This study addresses whether ACEs influence longitudinal changes in leptin, adiponectin, and the adiponectin/leptin ratio, after accounting for current chronic stress and adiposity.

Methods: This longitudinal study included 192 middle-aged mothers (mean age = 46.78 years) experiencing higher (n = 108) and lower (n = 84) chronic caregiving stress. Adipokines and adiposity were measured at three timepoints: T1 (baseline), T2 (15 months later), and T3 (30 months after T1). ACEs were assessed retrospectively using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.

Results: Mixed-effect models showed that leptin and adiponectin increased over time. Greater ACEs exposure was associated with larger increases in leptin over time, but it was not related to adiponectin or the adiponectin/leptin ratio. Current caregiving stress was not related to leptin and adiponectin levels and did not interact with ACEs in predicting adipokine levels. Mediation analyses revealed that increases in waist circumference partially mediated the association between ACEs and increases in leptin over time.

Conclusions: ACEs may increase vulnerability to cardiometabolic risk in midlife caregiving mothers through its influence on longitudinal changes in leptin and central adiposity.