Exposure to the Chinese famine in early life and the risk of anaemia in adulthood.
BACKGROUND
Famine exposure during the early stage of life is related to a number of adulthood diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the association of early life exposure to the famine in China (1959-1961) with the risk of anaemia in adulthood.


METHODS
We used the data of 2007 adults born between 1954 and 1964 in Jiangsu province from the 2002 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin concentration <12 g/dl in women and <13 g/dl in men.


RESULTS
Prevalence of anaemia in adulthood in nonexposed, fetal-exposed, early-childhood, mid-childhood, and late-childhood exposed to famine groups were 26.0%, 33.8%, 28.1%, 28.2% and 29.7%, respectively. Overall, fetal-exposed to famine was associated with 37% increased risk of anaemia as compared with those non-exposed after adjusting for income, education, place of residence, smoking, alcohol drinking, job, hypertension and BMI; relative risk (95% confidence interval) (RR (95% CI)) was 1.37 (1.09, 1.71). In general, this association appeared to be stronger among men, those who were currently overweight or obese, or those of lower educational levels. Corresponding RR (95% CI) was 1.87 (1.21-2.87), 1.75 (1.20-2.56), and 2.07 (1.37-3.12), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal exposure to the Chinese famine was associated with an increased risk of anaemia in adulthood.
Department of Nutrition and Foodborne Disease Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China. zumin.shi@adelaide.edu.au.
Zumin
Z
Shi
Cuilin
C
Zhang
Minghao
M
Zhou
Shiqi
S
Zhen
Anne W
AW
Taylor
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013217:Starvation / Q000150:complications*