Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39819302›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

The association between childhood hunger experiences and health in middle and old age: a longitudinal study over 10 years.

Dongxu Li, Xi Guo, Weile Zhang, Wenhui Li, Tianjiao Zhang, Zelin Liu, Min Su, Zhengrong Li

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Dongxu LiSchool of Public Health, Jining Medical University, Hehua Road, Taibai Lake New District, Jining, 272067, Shandong, China.
Xi GuoSchool of Economics and Management, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, China.
Weile ZhangSchool of Public Management, Inner Mongolia University, Zhaojun Road, Yuquan District, Hohhot, 010070, Inner Mongolia, China.
Wenhui LiSchool of Public Management, Inner Mongolia University, Zhaojun Road, Yuquan District, Hohhot, 010070, Inner Mongolia, China.
Tianjiao ZhangSchool of Public Management, Inner Mongolia University, Zhaojun Road, Yuquan District, Hohhot, 010070, Inner Mongolia, China.
Zelin LiuSchool of Public Management, Inner Mongolia University, Zhaojun Road, Yuquan District, Hohhot, 010070, Inner Mongolia, China.
Min SuSchool of Public Management, Inner Mongolia University, Zhaojun Road, Yuquan District, Hohhot, 010070, Inner Mongolia, China. 111989029@imu.edu.cn.
Zhengrong LiSchool of Public Management, Inner Mongolia University, Zhaojun Road, Yuquan District, Hohhot, 010070, Inner Mongolia, China. 21813011@mail.imu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 72204128
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA significant relationship is present between childhood hunger experiences (CHEs) and health, but explorations of the longitudinal persistence of this relationship and its mediating mechanisms are still lacking. This study aims to evaluate the effects of CHEs on health in middle and old age and determine the underlying mechanisms.

methodsUsing data from the five 2011-2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and the 2014 China Life History Survey Questionnaire, a sample of 9,909 individuals aged 45 years and older who participated in all six surveys was obtained. We conducted panel analyses, used Probit and ordinary least squares regression models to analyze the effects of CHEs on the health in middle and old age, and used stepwise regression tests to analyze the mediators of the relationship.

resultsCHEs significantly predicted self-assessment of health (β = -0.18; 95% CI: -0.23, -0.12), the probability of receiving medical treatment (β = -0.09; 95% CI: -0.13, -0.05), depression (β = -0.30; 95% CI: -0.35, -0.25), memory (β = -0.13; 95% CI: -0.18, -0.07), and cognitive function (β = -0.13; 95% CI: -0.26, -0.00). The effects of CHEs showed an aggravating trend regarding depression and cognitive function, and a mitigating trend regarding self-assessed health and memory. Smoking, exercising, and sleep duration were revealed as transmitting factors of the effects of CHEs on health.

conclusionCHEs had a negative impact on the health of middle and old age. While their effects on depression and cognitive function gradually worsen, the effects on self-assessed health and memory were mitigated over time. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, exercising, and sleep duration were transmitting factors of the health effects of CHEs. Thus, the health status of individuals who experience childhood hunger warrants attention.

Indexed as

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesHealth StatusHungerAgedChinaFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesChildhood hunger experiencesDepressionHealthMiddle and old age

Identifiers

PMID39819302
PMCPMC11740438

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.