Impact of early-life food deprivation on health-related quality of life among older people in China: evidence from CHARLS.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to explore the impact of early-life food deprivation on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older people, providing a scientific basis for developing public health strategies to improve the quality of life for older people.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), focusing on participants aged ≥60 years. The study included 7,192 eligible participants, categorized based on their self-reported early-life food deprivation experiences. HRQoL was measured using a newly developed scale based on variables from the Short Form-36 (SF-36) scale and CHARLS questionnaires. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to control for baseline differences. Weighted linear regression models were employed to analyze the impact of early-life food deprivation levels on HRQoL.

RESULTS

Findings indicate that older people who experienced early-life food deprivation exhibit a lower HRQoL (β = -1.83; 95% CI: -2.59, -1.07). This effect is particularly pronounced in older people with extreme early-life food deprivation (β = -3.50; 95% CI: -4.53, -2.47). Specifically, they exhibited lower scores in physical functioning, bodily pain, general health, role emotional, vitality, and mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-life food deprivation has a lasting negative effect on the HRQoL among older people. The results highlight the importance of early identification and improvement in cases of early-life food deprivation, alongside the implementation of targeted interventions. These measures can help improve the HRQoL of older adults affected by early-life food deprivation.