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Exposure to the 1959–1961 Chinese famine and risk of non-communicable diseases in later life: A life course perspective

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  • Mengling Cheng
  • Nicolas Sommet
  • Marko Kerac
  • Daniela S Jopp
  • Dario Spini

Abstract

Child undernutrition and later-life non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are major global health issues. Literature suggests that undernutrition/famine exposure in childhood has immediate and long-term adverse health consequences. However, many studies have theoretical and methodological limitations. To add to the literature and overcome some of these limitations, we adopted a life course perspective and used more robust methods. We investigated the association between exposure to the 1959–1961 Chinese famine and later-life NCDs and if this association depends on: life stage at exposure, famine severity, and sex. We conducted a secondary data analysis of a large-scale, nationally representative, longitudinal study—the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011–2018, 11,094 participants). We measured famine exposure/severity using self-reported experience, life stage using age at exposure, and health using the number of NCDs. We performed Poisson growth curve models. We obtained three findings. First, compared with unexposed participants, those exposed before age 18 had a higher risk of later-life NCDs, particularly if exposed in-utero (IRR = 1.90, 95% CI [1.70, 2.12], p

Suggested Citation

  • Mengling Cheng & Nicolas Sommet & Marko Kerac & Daniela S Jopp & Dario Spini, 2023. "Exposure to the 1959–1961 Chinese famine and risk of non-communicable diseases in later life: A life course perspective," PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(8), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pgph00:0002161
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002161
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lin, Justin Yifu & Yang, Dennis Tao, 2000. "Food Availability, Entitlements and the Chinese Famine of 1959-61," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(460), pages 136-158, January.
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