Transgenerational associations of parental famine exposure in early life with offspring risk of adult obesity in China
Authors' conclusion
Fetal and early childhood exposure to famine in parents may be associated with their children's risk of obesity during adulthood. A better understanding of the transgenerational associations is important for developing strategies to reduce obesity risk in future generations.
Study context
- Population
- Adult offspring of fathers and mothers born 1955–1966 in China (China Health and Nutrition Survey 1989–2015); parental exposure during fetal development or childhood
- Participants
- 1,895 adult offspring
- Exposure
- Offspring of famine-exposed parents vs offspring of unexposed parents
- Outcome
- Adult offspring obesity: BMI, waist circumference, overweight and central obesity
Methodological detailslongitudinal, transgenerational
- Longitudinal
- Transgenerational
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
BMI, waist circumference, overweight, central obesity
P0M1 vs P0M0Mean difference, kg/m2 (95% CI)
BMI; higher with P0M1
1.3(0.3–2.4)
P0M1 vs P0M0Mean difference, cm (95% CI)
Waist circumference; higher with P0M1
1.5(−1.0 to 3.9)
P0M1 vs P0M0Odds ratio (95% CI)
Overweight
3.1(1.6–6.1)
Central obesity
1.9(1.02–3.7)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- No significant heterogeneity in the associations by sex of offspring
Original publication
Transgenerational associations of parental famine exposure in early life with offspring risk of adult obesity in China. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 11 December 2022. doi:10.
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