CHILDREN whose parents split up when they are young are more likely to become seriously ill in adulthood, a new Wales-wide study has found.
Research among 2,000 Welsh adults showed that stressed youngsters who undergo "adverse childhood experiences" (ACEs) are at greater risk of a range of long term health problems.
The splitting up of parents is regarded as one of the worst impacts on children's long term health, as are bullying and abuse.
Children who have been affected by four or more ACEs are twice as likely to visit a GP, three times as likely to go to A&E or spend a night in hospital, and four times as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.
"Most of us have the odd shock in childhood and after that we relax and we're comforted by parents and our bodies develop at that lower, more relaxed level," said Professor Mark Bellis, director of policy and research at Public Health Wales, who carried out the research.
"But if you get constant exposure to adverse childhood experiences, your body develops at a higher state of tension - it is always looking out for more threats.
"That means as your body develops, it's used to being ready to be injured or hurt in some way and it wears out quicker.
"You're also more ill at ease, you may develop poorer metal health, you're more likely to use alcohol and drugs - and they increase your risks of ill health later in life.
[For more of this story go to http://www.southwalesargus.co....lth_in_Welsh_adults/]
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