Getting Hit in the Past Could Physically Affect You Now

Did you get hit as a kid? Do you have health problems now? There may be a connection.

New research out of Canada suggests that harsh physical punishment in childhood may be associated with health problems in adulthood.

The study authors specifically looked at what they defined as "harsh physical punishment" in childhood: pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping, and hitting. They wanted to see how these measures may affect kids in the absence of more severe maltreatment (sexual abuse, physical or emotional neglect, exposure to marital violence, physical abuse, etc.). Prior research had established a link between physical punishment and future behaviors like delinquency and aggression, but long-term health consequences had not previously been explored.

Results showed that kids who received physical punishment were more likely to end up with health problems as adults. Highest risks were associated with obesity (24 percent) and arthritis (35 percent). But there was also significant correlation to a handful of other ailments in adulthood, including cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, diabetes, liver disease, and hypertension.

We’re not even talking about the depression aspect. But now that there is a connection established, does it affect your opinion about how you were disciplined or how you discipline your children?  Were you hit as a child? Discuss in the comment section below.