Famine Exposure during the Fetal Period Increased the Risk of Dyslipidemia in Female Adults.

Abstract

Chronic diseases are gradually becoming public health challenges around the world. This study was designed to explore the relationship between early life exposure to famine in China and the risk of dyslipidemia during adulthood. A total of 604 subjects born from 1955 to 1965 received a health checkup and completed a questionnaire survey at the health management center of the tertiary hospital in Hefei, China, in 2013. A logistic regression model was used to assess dyslipidemia in famine-exposed and nonexposed individuals. Overall, exposure to famine during the fetal (OR 1.37; 95% CI: 0.90-2.10; and p = 0.14) and childhood (OR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.67-1.41; and p = 0.89) periods did not significantly increase the risk of dyslipidemia in adulthood compared with no exposure group. For females, exposure to famine during the fetal period (OR 2.00; 95% CI: 1.03-3.86; and p = 0.04) significantly increased the risk of dyslipidemia in adulthood compared to no exposure; however, this difference was not found in males. Exposure to famine in early life leads to altered lipid distribution in adulthood, and the risk of dyslipidemia significantly increased in adult women who were exposed to famine during the fetal period. Our study further validated the relationship between famine exposure during pregnancy and increased risk of dyslipidemia in female adult offspring. This study provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of abnormal blood lipid levels in adults.