Prenatal exposure to the Chinese famine and the risk of metabolic syndrome in adulthood across consecutive generations

Background/objectives The purpose of our study was to explore the relation of prenatal exposure to the Chinese famine and the risk of metabolic syndrome in adulthood in consecutive generations. Subjects/methods A total of 960 families, including 1920 parents (F1) who were born near the time of the Great Chinese famine and 1145 of their offspring (F2), were selected from the Suihua rural area. Parental participants were defined as nonexposed (born between 1 October 1956 and 30 September 1958 or between 1 October 1962 and 30 September 1964) and famine exposed (born between 1 October 1959 and 30 September 1961). In F2, participants were divided into having no parents exposed to famine, only a mother exposed to famine, only a father exposed to famine or both parents exposed to famine. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Results Exposure to famine during gestation was associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio: 2.79, 95% confidence interval: 2.16, 3.60) in F1 adults. However, similar association was not observed (maternal: odds ratio: 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 0.69, 2.52; paternal: odds ratio: 1.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.87, 3.21; parental: odds ratio: 1.25, 95% confidence interval: 0.68, 2.31) in F2 adults. Conclusions Exposure to the Chinese famine during foetal life was associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in F1 participants. In F2 adults, there might be an important relationship between exposure to famine and the risk of metabolic syndrome with increasing age.