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Exposure to Chinese Famine in Fetal Life and the Risk of Dysglycemiain Adulthood

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  • Yan Zhang

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Chao Song

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Meng Wang

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Weiyan Gong

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Yanning Ma

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Zheng Chen

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Ganyu Feng

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Rui Wang

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Hongyun Fang

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Jing Fan

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

  • Ailing Liu

    (National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Nanwei Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China)

Abstract

Undernutrition in early life may have a long consequence of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. The current study was aimed to explore the association between famine exposure in fetal life during China’s Great Famine (1959–1961) and dysglycemia in adulthood. The cross-sectional data from 7830 adults from the 2010–2012 China National Nutrition and Health Surveillance was utilized. Participants who were born between 1960 and 1961 were selected as the exposed group, while the participants who were born in 1963 were selected as the unexposed group. Logistic regression was utilized to examine the relationship between fetal famine exposure and dysglycemia in adulthood. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the exposed and control group was 6.4% and 5.1%, respectively, and the risk of type 2 diabetes in the exposed group was 1.23 times higher than that of the control group (95%CI, 1.01–1.50; P = 0.042) in adulthood, and 1.40 times in the severely affected area (95%CI, 1.11–1.76; P = 0.004). The fasting plasma glucose of the exposed group was higher than that of the control group, which was only found in the severely affected area ( P = 0.014) and females ( P = 0.037). The association between famine and impaired fasting glucose was observed only in females (OR 1.31, 95%CI, 1.01–1.70; P = 0.040). Our results suggested that fetal exposure to Chinese famine increased the risk of dysglycemia in adulthood. This association was stronger in the severely affected area and females.

Suggested Citation

  • Yan Zhang & Chao Song & Meng Wang & Weiyan Gong & Yanning Ma & Zheng Chen & Ganyu Feng & Rui Wang & Hongyun Fang & Jing Fan & Ailing Liu, 2020. "Exposure to Chinese Famine in Fetal Life and the Risk of Dysglycemiain Adulthood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-11, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:7:p:2210-:d:337052
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zhehui Luo & Ren Mu & Xiaobo Zhang, 2006. "Famine and Overweight in China," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 28(3), pages 296-304.
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    Cited by:

    1. He, Ping & Luo, Yanan & Ding, Ruoxi & Zheng, Xiaoying, 2022. "Is it just a cure? Re-evaluating the effects of prenatal exposure to the Great Chinese Famine on the risk of infectious diseases in adulthood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).

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