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.