Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41074019›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

Early-Life famine exposure and the risk of depression and anxiety in adulthood: evidence from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC).

Hua Bai, Yandaijiu Wang, Yuhan Liu, Yuemei Feng, Yanjiao Wang, Fei Mi, Wei Zou, Junyi Liu, Xuehui Zhang, Qiong Meng

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Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Hua Bai *School of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Yandaijiu Wang *School of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Yuhan Liu *School of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Yuemei FengSchool of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Yanjiao WangSchool of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Fei MiSchool of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Wei ZouSchool of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Junyi LiuSchool of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
Xuehui ZhangSchool of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China. 420797538@qq.com.
Qiong MengSchool of Public Health, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China. mengqiong2006@163.com.

Funding

First-Class Discipline Team of Kunming Medical University 2024XKTDTS15Key Technologies Research and Development Program No.2017YFC0907302Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects 202201AY070001-025、202501AT070093
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDepression and anxiety are among the most prevalent mental disorders globally and represent major public health challenges. The impact of early-life famine exposure on mental health has increasingly drawn attention. However, research on the association between early-life famine exposure and the risk of depression and anxiety in adulthood, especially across different ethnic backgrounds, remains scarce in worldwide.

methodsThe study is based on the baseline data from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC), and includes 18,376 individuals who were born between 1939 and 1978 and experienced early life famine exposure. All participants underwent face-to-face interviews and physical examinations, and their anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using the PHQ-2 and GAD-2 scales. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between early-life famine exposure and the risk of depression and anxiety in adulthood.

resultsThe study revealed that exposure to famine during childhood (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.33–2.05, p < 0.001) and adolescence (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.18–2.28, p = 0.003) was associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms in adulthood, especially among females ( childhood OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.47–2.39, p < 0.001; adolescence OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.36–2.81, p < 0.001). In the Han ethnic group, childhood famine exposure (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.44–2.56, p < 0.001) was associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms in later life. In the Yi ethnic group, fetal exposure to famine was associated with an increased risk of both depressive symptoms (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.28–4.25, p = 0.005) and anxiety symptoms in adulthood (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.37–2.88, p < 0.001), whereas no associations were observed in the Bai ethnic group. Regarding anxiety symptoms, males exposed to famine during childhood (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.33–0.85, p = 0.008) and adolescence (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13–0.78, p = 0.013) had a lower risk of developing anxiety symptoms in adulthood. Among the Yi population, fetal famine exposure was associated with a higher risk of adult anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.37–2.88, p < 0.001).

conclusionFamine exposure during childhood and adolescence is associated with altered risks of mental health disorders in adulthood, with patterns varying across ethnic groups. Early-life nutritional deprivation may exert long-term effects on mental health, and these associations appear to differ by gender and ethnicity.

Indexed as

AnxietyDepressionFamineAdolescentAdultChildChinaCohort StudiesEthnicityFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRisk FactorsAnxietyDepressionEarly lifeEthnicityFamine exposure

Identifiers

PMID41074019
PMCPMC12512655

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