Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Jul 29;12(8):2266.
doi: 10.3390/nu12082266.

Are Lipid Profiles in Middle Age Associated with Famine Exposure during Prenatal and Early Postnatal Period?

Xin-Yue Ding  1 , Zhen-Yu Yang  1 , Li-Yun Zhao  1 , Wen-Hua Zhao  1
Affiliations

Are Lipid Profiles in Middle Age Associated with Famine Exposure during Prenatal and Early Postnatal Period?

Xin-Yue Ding et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Undernutrition during early life may increase the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood, including dyslipidemia. Few investigations have confirmed the relationship between early life undernutrition and dyslipidemia in adulthood in China.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between the Great Chinese Famine exposure during prenatal period or early postnatal period and lipid profiles in adulthood.

Design: Data were extracted from the China Nutrition and Health Survey (CNHS) in 2010-2012, which included the participants who experienced the Great Chinese Famine during early life.

Results: Participants who experienced the Great Chinese Famine in early postnatal period had a significantly higher prevalence of elevated total cholesterol (TC) (odds ratio: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.27, 2.02) than unexposed participants. Female (odds ratio: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.27, 2.31) were high risk than male (odds ratio: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.11) and physical inactivity group (odds ratio: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.18, 2.29) were high risk than adequate physical activity group (odds ratio: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.21, 2.07). Similar effect of famine exposure on elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was observed, except that no significant difference was found between adequate physical activity group and physical inactivity group. Participants who experienced the Great Chinese Famine in prenatal period had a significantly higher prevalence of lowed high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (odds ratio: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.37) than unexposed. Female were more likely to have lower HDL-C (odds ratio: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.74), but not found in male. Participants with physical inactivity were more likely to have lower HDL-C (odds ratio: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.61), but not found in adequate physical activity group.

Conclusions: People who experienced the Great Chinese Famine during early life, especially in females and people physical inactivity, would impair of lipid profiles in later life. Healthy lifestyle like adequate physical activity may partially alleviate the adverse effects.

Keywords: early life; lipid profile; the Great Chinese Famine; undernutrition.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no other funding or conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Odds ratio (OR) (and 95% CI), after adjustment, among participants postnatal-exposed, prenatal-exposed and unexposed participants. (a) with elevated TG; (b) in marginally elevated TG; (c) with elevated TC; (d) with low HDL-C; (e) with elevated LDL-C; (f) with dyslipidemia; (g) with marginal dyslipidemia; (h) with abnormal TG or HDL.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Odds ratio (OR) (and 95% CI), after adjustment, among participants postnatal-exposed, prenatal-exposed and unexposed participants. (a) with elevated TG; (b) in marginally elevated TG; (c) with elevated TC; (d) with low HDL-C; (e) with elevated LDL-C; (f) with dyslipidemia; (g) with marginal dyslipidemia; (h) with abnormal TG or HDL.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Wang J., Li Y., Han X., Liu B., Hu H., Wang F., Li X., Yang K., Yuan J., Yao P., et al. Exposure to the Chinese Famine in Childhood Increases Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Adults. J. Nutr. 2016;146:2289. doi: 10.3945/jn.116.234575. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Li Y., He Y., Qi L., Jaddoe V.W., Feskens E.J., Yang X., Ma G., Hu F.B. Exposure to the Chinese famine in early life and the risk of hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Diabetes. 2010;59:2400–2406. doi: 10.2337/db10-0385. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Stein A.D., Zybert P.A., Van der P.-d.B.K., Lumey L.H. Exposure to famine during gestation, size at birth, and blood pressure at age 59 y: Evidence from the Dutch Famine. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 2006;21:759–765. doi: 10.1007/s10654-006-9065-2. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ravelli A.C., Van Der Meulen J.H., Osmond C., Barker D.J., Bleker O.P. Obesity at the age of 50 y in men and women exposed to famine prenatally. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1999;70:811–816. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/70.5.811. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lussana F., Painter R.C., Ocke M.C., Buller H.R., Bossuyt P.M., Roseboom T.J. Prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine is associated with a preference for fatty foods and a more atherogenic lipid profile. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2009;88:1648–1652. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26140. - DOI - PubMed

MeSH terms