Table 1 Characteristics of studies reporting the association of early life exposure to famine and anthropometric profile in adults, 2021
First Author, Year/country | Famine year /duration | Study Design | Sample size | Age at measure (years) | Outcome studied | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
de Rooij et al., 2007 / Dutch | 1944–45 / 6 months | Historical cohort | 783 | Exposed ~ 58.5 Unexposed ~ 57.4 | WC (cm) | Waist circumference (cm): unexposed = 94.1 + 12.4, late gestation exposed = 92.6 + 13.9, mid-gestation = 92.0 + 12.9, early gestation = 89.6 + 11.4 |
Han and Hon, 2019/ South Korea | 1950–53/ 4 year | Historical cohort | 25,708 | Exposed ~ 59–73 Unexposed ~ 50–55 | WC (cm) BMI (kg/m2) | Waist circumference (cm): Men: Fetal exposed = 85.87 (0.42), early childhood exposed = 85.46 (0.43), late childhood exposed = 84.26 (0.64), adolescence exposed = 83.11 (0.92), unexposed = 85.86 (0.47), Women: Fetal exposed = 82.58 (0.43), early childhood exposed = 82.60 (0.44), late childhood exposed = 81.94 (0.64), adolescent exposed = 81.49 (0.92), unexposed = 81.26 (0.47) BMI: Fetal exposed = 24.19 (0.16), early childhood exposed = 24.09 (0.16), late childhood exposed = 23.70 (0.23), adolescent exposed = 23.36 (0.32), Unexposed = 24.24 (0.17), Women: Fetal exposed = 24.29 (0.15), early childhood exposed = 24.28 (0.15), late childhood exposed = 24.11 (0.22), adolescent exposed = 23.96 (0.31), unexposed = 23.92 (0.17) |
Ning et al., 2019/ China | 1959–61 /3 year | Historical cohort | 9, 588 | Exposed ~ 47–65 Unexposed ~ 40 | WC (cm) BMI (kg/m2) | Waist circumference (cm), men: Unexposed = 85.0 (0.56), fetal-exposed = 87.2 (0.71), childhood-exposed = 86.5 (0.33), adolescence-exposed = 88.3 (0.69), women: Unexposed = 82.1 (0.39), fetal-exposed = 82.8 (0.52), childhood-exposed = 83.2 (0.25), adolescence-exposed = 83.6 (0.55) BMI, all subjects: Unexposed = 24.6 (0.12), fetal-exposed = 25.3 (0.15), childhood-exposed = 25.7 (0.07), adolescence-exposed = 26.3 (0.15) |
Wang et al., 2017/ China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 6445 | Exposed ~ 52–59 Unexposed 40–51 | WC (cm) | Waist circumference, men: Unexposed = 82.9 ± 8.8, fetal-exposed = 83.9 ± 9.0, childhood-exposed = 83.6 ± 9.5, adolescence = 83.5 ± 9.7, women: Unexposed = 74.1 ± 8.2, fetal-exposed = 77.4 ± 8.7, childhood-exposed = 79.6 ± 9.3, adolescence = 81.6 ± 10.2 |
Wang et al., 2019/ China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 2148 | Exposed = 51–55 Unexposed = 48 | Height WC (cm) BMI (kg/m2) | Waist circumference (cm): Unexposed = 85.43 (9.80), fetal exposed = 85.70 (10.62), infant = 84.96 (9.75), preschool = 85.50 (10.04) |
Stanner et al., 1997/ Leningrad | 1941–44/ 6 months | Cross-sectional | 549 | Exposed = 52–53 Unexposed = 52.8 | BMI (kg/m2) Height (m) WHR | BMI (kg/m2): Unexposed = 25.2 (24.1 to 26.3), intrauterine exposed = 24.6 (23.6 to 25.6), infant group = 25.4 (24.2 to 26.6), Height (m): Unexposed = 1.73 (1.71 to 1.75), intrauterine exposed = 1.72 (1.70 to 1.74), infant group = 1.74 (1.72 to 1.76) WHR: Unexposed = 0.87 (0.85 to 0.89), intrauterine exposed = 0.86 (0.84 to 0.88), infant group = 0.88 (0.84 to 0.92) |
Shi, Nicholls et al. 2018/ China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 5772 | Exposed = 50–57 Unexposed = 47 | BMI | BMI: Unexposed cohort = 24.2 (3.6), fetal exposed cohort = 24.3 (4.4), early child exposed = 23.9 (3.9), mid childhood exposed = 23.3 (3.6), late childhood exposed = 23.7 (3.8) |
Chen et al., 2019/ China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 5295 | Exposed = 52–93 Unexposed = 40–51 | WC (cm) BMI | Waist circumference, men: Unexposed = 82.9 ± 8.8, fetal exposed = 83.9 ± 9.0, childhood exposed = 83.6 ± 9.5, adolescent exposed = 83.4 ± 9.7, women: Unexposed = 74.1 ± 8.2, fetal exposed: 77.4 ± 8.7, childhood exposed = 79.5 ± 9.3, adolescent exposed = 81.6 ± 10.1 BMI, men Unexposed = 24.8 ± 3.2, fetal exposed = 24.9 ± 3.1, childhood exposed = 24.7 ± 3.3, adolescent exposed = 23.9 ± 3.4, women: Unexposed = 23.6 ± 3.3, fetal exposed = 24.5 ± 3.4, childhood exposed = 24.7 ± 3.6, adolescent exposed = 24.4 ± 3.8, |
Hult et al., 2010/ Nigeria | 1968–70/2 year | Historical cohort | 1338 | Exposed = 40–43 Unexposed = 37 | WC (cm) BMI (kg/m2) Height | Height, cm (mean (SD): unexposed = 170 [8], fetal-infant = 169 [8], early childhood = 169 [8] Waist circumference, cm (mean (SD): Unexposed = 91 [11], fetal-infant = 94 [13], early childhood = 93 [11] BMI, kg/m2: unexposed = 26.5 (4.4), fetal-infant = 27.5 (4.6), early childhood = 26.7 (4.7) |
Painter et al., 2006b/ Dutch | 1944–45 /6 months | Historical cohort | 721 |  | BMI | BMI, kg/m2: Born before famine = 28.4, late gestation exposure = 28.1, mid gestation exposure = 27.9, early gestation exposure = 27.9, conceived after famine = 28.8 |
Liu et al., 2019/China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 18,984 | Exposed ~ 41.6–44.6 | Height | Height, cm, mean (SD): Unexposed = 161.2 (8.2), fetal-Exposed = 161.0 (8.1), infant-Exposed = 160.4 (8.2) |
Unexposed ~ 38.6 | ||||||
Meng et al., 2016/China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 94,052 | NM | BMI | Exposed: BMI (β-coefficients (95% CI): 0.12, 0.03–0.22) |
Portrait et al., 2017/Dutch | 1944–45/ 6 months | Historical cohort | 1008 | Age between 44 and 60 years | Adult Height | Height = Mean (SD), Exposed during gestation to age 1 = 170.8 (8.1), early childhood = 171.8 (9.0), late childhood = 171.0 (8.3), puberty = 170.6 (9.0), Male: gestation to age 1 = 177.1 (4.9), early childhood = 177.9 (6.8), late childhood = 176.6 (6.0), puberty = 176.6 (6.8) Female: gestation to age 1 = 163.4 (3.4), early childhood = 165.5 (6.2), late childhood = 165.2 (6.1), puberty = 163.9 (5.8) Height = Mean (SD), Unexposed during gestation to age 1 = 173.4 (8.4), early childhood = 171.7 (9.3), late childhood = 170.9 (9.0), puberty = 169.3 (8.1), Male, gestation to age 1 = 179.7 (6.5), early childhood = 178.6 (6.8), late childhood = 178.5 (7.0), puberty = 175.8 (5.8), Female, gestation to age 1 = 168.2 (5.8), early childhood = 165.7 (6.6), late childhood = 165.3 (5.4), puberty = 164.5 (5.9) |
Ravelli et al., 1999/Dutch | 1944–45/ 6 months | Historical cohort | 6445 | Exposed ~ 52–59 Unexposed ~ 40–51 | BMI (kg/m2) WC (cm) Height (cm) | BMI (kg/m2): Born before famine = 26.7, late gestation = 26.7, mid gestation = 26.6, early gestation = 28.1 conceived after the famine = 27.2 Waist circumference (cm): Born before famine = 91.8, late gestation = 92.4, mid gestation = 91.0, early gestation = 95.6, conceived after the famine = 92.5 Height (cm): Born before famine = 171.0, late gestation = 170.9, mid gestation = 168.6, early gestation = 171.0, conceived after the famine = 170.9 |
Song et al., 2020/China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 8054 | Exposed = 50.9(50.2–51) Unexposed = 48.4(47.8–49) | WC (cm) BMI (kg/m2) | BMI (kg/m2): Unexposed = 24.1(22.0,26.5), fetal exposed = 24.2(22.0,26.5), WC (cm): unexposed = 82.0(75.4,89.0), fetal exposed = 82.5(76.0,89.3) |
Stein et al., 2007 /China | 1944–45/ 6 months | Historical cohort | 11,784 | Exposed age = 58.9 ± 0.49 Control age = 58.8 ± 1.57 | Height (cm) WC (cm) BMI (kg/m2) | Height (cm), Men: Unexposed = 178.3 ± 6.3, exposed = 177.4 ± 6.2, Women: Unexposed = 165.4 ± 6.3, exposed = 165.4 ± 6.6, BMI (kg/m2), Men: Unexposed = 27.9 ± 4.0, exposed = 27.8 ± 3.6, Women: Unexposed = 26.9 ± 4.5, exposed = 28.8 ± 5.7, WC (cm), Men: Unexposed = 101.4 ± 10.5, exposed = 100.5 ± 10.1, Women: Unexposed = 93.9 ± 11.1, exposed = 99.0 ± 11.9 |
van Abeelen et al., 2012c/Dutch | 1944–45/ 6 months | Historical cohort | 11,784 | Ages between 49 and 70 years | BMI (kg/m2) WC (cm) | BMI (kg/m2) Mean (SD), 0–9 years = Unexposed = 25.6 (3.9), Moderately exposed = 25.9 (4.0), Severely exposed = 26.2 (4.3), 10–17 years, Unexposed = 26.5 (4.0), Moderately = 26.7(4.0), Severely = 26.4 (4.0), ≥18 years = Unexposed = 26.9(4.3), Moderately = 27.1(4.5), Severely = 27.1 (3.8), WC (cm), Mean (SD), 0–9 years = Unexposed = 82.3 (9.6), Moderately = 83.0 (9.8), Severely = 83.8 (10.5), 10–17 years = Unexposed = 85.7(9.9), Moderately = 86.4(9.9), Severely = 85.8 (10.2) ≥18 years = Unexposed = 87.0 (9.6), Moderately = 87.2(9.9), Severely = 87.5 (9.9) |
Wang, Wang et al. 2010/China | 1959–61/3 year | Historical cohort | 17,023 | Born during 1956–1964 | Height (cm) | Height, Female: Unexposed = 158.12 cm, gestational = 157.67 cm, toddler = 156.98 cm, Male: Unexposed = 168.45 cm, gestational = 168.52 cm, toddler = 167.86 cm |
Woo et al., 2010/China | 1959–61/3 year | Cross sectional cohort | 3732 | Men and women aged ≥65 years | BMI (kg/m2) Height (cm) | BMI: Unexposed = 23.46 (3.25), exposed = 23.83 (3.31) Whole body % fat, Unexposed = 29.51 (7.16), exposed = 29.23 (7.19) Height (cm), Unexposed = 157.37 (8.19), exposed = 156.96 (8.24) |