AUTHOR=Sun Yuxin , Miao Yudong , Wang Saiyi , Feng Yifei , Hua Baoyong 

TITLE=The association of famine exposure with healthy lifestyles at different life stages in rural older adults in China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1533909

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1533909

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=ObjectiveTo assess the potential association between exposure to Chinese famine and healthy lifestyles, as well as any gender disparities in this relationship to provide a scientific basis for the development of effective public health policies and interventions.MethodsWe used binary logistic regression models to estimate the potential association between famine exposure and healthy lifestyles and stratified by sex for comparisons. Unordered multicategory logistic regression model was used to assess the association between famine exposure and healthy lifestyle scores. We presented this association with Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsA total of 6,458 individuals were enrolled in the current study, of whom 4,155(64.3%) were women. Men exposed to famine in infancy (OR = 0.650, 95%CI: 0.506–0.834) and preschool (OR = 0.788, 95%CI: 0.631–0.985) was negatively associated with non-smoking and women exposed famine in infancy (OR = 0.699, 95%CI: 0.574–0.851), preschool (OR = 0.734, 95%CI: 0.613–0.880), and school age (OR = 0.764, 95%CI: 0.673–0.916) was negatively associated with normal weight, and women were more likely to be central obesity during exposed to famine in infancy (OR = 0.763, 95%CI: 0.624–0.934). The likelihood of having a healthy lifestyle score of 5–6 as an adult was higher for experiencing famine in preschool and school age.ConclusionsMen exposed to the Chinese famine during infancy were positively associated with smoking and drinking, while women exhibited a positive association with central obesity. Women had unhealthy weight if they experienced famine early in life and a call for attention to nutritional status and women's health in the early life.