Association between famine exposure in early life and the risk of diabetes，hypertension and hyperlipidemia in Chongqing

Abstract:

Objective：To explore the association between famine exposure in early life and the risk of diabetes，hypertension and hy－perlipidemia in Chongqing. Methods：The present study was performed on 7 466 participants who were born between October 1956 and September 1964，and who had physical examination in the Health Management（Physical Examination） Center of The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in 2018. In order to reduce the bias caused by age factors，1 818 participants born before the famine（from October 1956 to September 1958） and 4 156 participants born after the famine（from October 1962 to September 1964） were combined as the control group（n=5 974），and those who were born during the famine year（from October 1959 to September 1961） were designated as the famine exposure group（n=1 492）. Chi-square test was used to compare the preva－lence of diabetes，hypertension and hyperlipidemia between the famine exposure group and control group，and the effect of famine in early life on diabetes，hypertension and hyperlipidemia in adulthood was examined using a logistic regression model. Results：The total prevalence of type 2 diabetes among partici－pants was 11.3%，and the prevalence of diabetes in control group and famine exposure group was 10.7% and 13.6%，respectively，with statistically significant differences（P=0.001）. The mean fasting glucose of the famine exposure group was higher than that of the control group[（5.89±1.86） mmol/L vs. （5.76±1.65） mmol/L，P=0.005]. The total prevalence of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was 29.7%，and 35.3%，respectively，and there was no statistically significant difference between the control group and the famine exposure group. Logistic regression analysis showed that famine exposure in early life was the risk factor of type 2 diabetes（OR=1.321，95%CI=1.112-1.569，P=0.001），but not of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. The analysis of stratification by gender showed that famine exposure in early life was the risk factor of type 2 diabetes of males in adulthood but not of females（OR=1.458，95%CI=1.197-1.776，P=0.000）. Conclusion：In Chongqing，exposure to famine in early life may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood，which is mainly present in males. However，it may have no effect on the occurrence of hypertension or hyperlipidemia. Therefore，balanced nutrition in early life is of great significance to prevent the occurrence of type 2 diabetes in adulthood.