RESUMO
Objective To investigate the relationship between exposure to famine in early life stage and hypertension phenotype and grade in middle and old age. Methods People born between 1951 and 1965 in the 2015 China Health and Elderly Care Follow-up Survey were included in the study, and were divided into unexposed group, fetal exposed group, childhood exposed group and adolescent exposed group according to the time of famine occurrence and birth year of the participants. Logistic regression model was used to explore the effects of different famine exposure periods in early life stage on hypertension classification （including normal high value, grade I, grade II and grade III） and phenotype （including isolated systolic hypertension[ISH], isolated diastolic hypertension [IDH] and combined systolic and diastolic hypertension [SDH]）. Results Compared with unexposed group, fetal famine exposure （OR=1.59, 95% CI :1.10-2.30）, childhood famine exposure （OR=1.67, 95% CI :1.04-2.70） and adolescent famine exposure （OR=3.42, 95% CI : 2.51-4.66） were the risk factors for ISH. Only famine exposure during adolescence （OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.07-2.21） was a risk factor for SDH. In addition, fetal famine exposure （OR=1.41, 95% CI: 1.05-1.89） and adolescent famine exposure （OR=2.22 , 95% CI: 1.71-2.88） were risk factors for developing grade I hypertension. Famine exposure in childhood （OR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.21-4.94） and famine exposure in adolescence （OR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.44-4.19） were risk factors for grade 2 hypertension. Conclusion Famine exposure in early life stage was associated with the phenotype and grade of hypertension. Therefore, balanced nutrition in early life is important to prevent hypertension in adulthood.