Getachew Arage1,2, Tefera Belachew3, Kemal Hajmahmud3, Mubarek Abera4, Fedilu Abdulhay5, Misra Abdulahi6, Kalkidan Hassen Abate3. 1. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia. getachewarage2004@gmail.com. 2. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia. getachewarage2004@gmail.com. 3. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia. 5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia. 6. Department of Population and Family Heath, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nutritional insult in early life brings adaptive changes in body structure and functioning that could remain throughout the affected individual's life course. The long term impact of early life famine exposure on adulthood anthropometric measurements has been recorded in previous studies. However, the results were contradictory. Hence, we extend this study to examine the impact of famine exposure during early life on adulthood's anthropometry among survivors of the 1983-85 Ethiopian great famine. METHODS: A total of 1384 adult men and women survived from 1983 to 85 Ethiopian great famine were included in the study. Famine exposure status was classified into five groups: early life-exposed, prenatal-exposed, postnatal-exposed, adolescence-exposed, and non-exposed based on self-reported age and birthdate of the participants. Prenatal, post-natal, and adolescence exposed groups were considered as early life exposed. Following a standard procedure, anthropometric measurements were taken. A linear regression analysis was used to analyze the impact of famine exposure on adult anthropometric measurements adjusted for all possible covariates. The effect of famine exposure on overweight, general obesity, and abdominal obesity was examined using multinomial and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULT: Compared to non-exposed groups, adult height was lower by 1.83 cm (β = - 1.83; 95% CI: - 3.05, - 0.58), 1.35 cm (β = - 1.35; 95% CI: - 2.56, - 0.14) and 2.07 cm (β = - 2.07 cm; 95% CI: - 3.31, - 0.80) among early life, prenatal and post-natal exposed groups, respectively. Likewise, famine exposure during early life (β = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.03), prenatal (β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.03) and post-natal life (β = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.03) was positively associated with increased waist to height ratio. However, none of the above exposures resulted in a significant association with body mass index (P > 0. 05). Additionally, exposure to famine during early stage of life was not associated with increased risk of overweight, general obesity and abdominal obesity in adults. CONCLUSION: Decreased adult height and increased waist-to-height ratio were associated with early life exposure to famine, particularly prenatal and post-natal exposure. These results therefore underscore the significance of avoiding undernutrition in early life, which tends to be important for achieving once potential adult height and to minimize the increased risk of anthropometric markers of abdominal obesity such as waist to height ratio in later life.
BACKGROUND: Nutritional insult in early life brings adaptive changes in body structure and functioning that could remain throughout the affected individual's life course. The long term impact of early life famine exposure on adulthood anthropometric measurements has been recorded in previous studies. However, the results were contradictory. Hence, we extend this study to examine the impact of famine exposure during early life on adulthood's anthropometry among survivors of the 1983-85 Ethiopian great famine. METHODS: A total of 1384 adult men and women survived from 1983 to 85 Ethiopian great famine were included in the study. Famine exposure status was classified into five groups: early life-exposed, prenatal-exposed, postnatal-exposed, adolescence-exposed, and non-exposed based on self-reported age and birthdate of the participants. Prenatal, post-natal, and adolescence exposed groups were considered as early life exposed. Following a standard procedure, anthropometric measurements were taken. A linear regression analysis was used to analyze the impact of famine exposure on adult anthropometric measurements adjusted for all possible covariates. The effect of famine exposure on overweight, general obesity, and abdominal obesity was examined using multinomial and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULT: Compared to non-exposed groups, adult height was lower by 1.83 cm (β = - 1.83; 95% CI: - 3.05, - 0.58), 1.35 cm (β = - 1.35; 95% CI: - 2.56, - 0.14) and 2.07 cm (β = - 2.07 cm; 95% CI: - 3.31, - 0.80) among early life, prenatal and post-natal exposed groups, respectively. Likewise, famine exposure during early life (β = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.03), prenatal (β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.03) and post-natal life (β = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.03) was positively associated with increased waist to height ratio. However, none of the above exposures resulted in a significant association with body mass index (P > 0. 05). Additionally, exposure to famine during early stage of life was not associated with increased risk of overweight, general obesity and abdominal obesity in adults. CONCLUSION: Decreased adult height and increased waist-to-height ratio were associated with early life exposure to famine, particularly prenatal and post-natal exposure. These results therefore underscore the significance of avoiding undernutrition in early life, which tends to be important for achieving once potential adult height and to minimize the increased risk of anthropometric markers of abdominal obesity such as waist to height ratio in later life.
Entities:
Keywords:
Anthropometric measurements; Early life; Ethiopian great famine; Famine exposure
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