A rocky childhood could be bad for your heart

Traumatic childhood experiences may harm heart health later in life. Research shows that adults who experienced multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as neglect; physical, sexual or emotional abuse; or witnessing violence at home had double the risk of cardiovascular disease and double the risk of an early death compared with people who didn’t experience any ACEs at all. But while the risk of cardiovascular disease rises among people with ACEs, lifestyle changes can still prevent health problems down the line.