Data from: Is famine exposure during developmental life in rural Bangladesh associated with a metabolic and epigenetic signature in young adulthood? A historical cohort study

Objectives Famine exposure in utero can ‘programme’ an individual towards
type 2 diabetes and obesity in later life. We sought to identify, (1)
whether Bangladeshis exposed to famine during developmental life are
programmed towards diabetes and obesity, (2) whether this programming was
specific to gestational or postnatal exposure windows and (3) whether
epigenetic differences were associated with famine exposure. Design A
historical cohort study was performed as part of a wider cross-sectional
survey. Exposure to famine was defined through birth date and historical
records and participants were selected according to: (A) exposure to
famine in postnatal life, (B) exposure to famine during gestation and (C)
unexposed. Setting Matlab, a rural area in the Chittagong division of
Bangladesh. Participants Young adult men and women (n=190) recruited to a
historical cohort study with a randomised subsample included in an
epigenetic study (n=143). Outcome measures Primary outcome measures of
weight, body mass index and oral glucose tolerance tests (0 and 120 min
glucose). Secondary outcome measures included DNA methylation using
genome-wide and targeted analysis of metastable epialleles sensitive to
maternal nutrition. Results More young adults exposed to famine in
gestation were underweight than those postnatally exposed or unexposed. In
contrast, more young adults exposed to famine postnatally were overweight
compared to those gestationally exposed or unexposed. Underweight adults
exposed to famine in gestation in utero were hyperglycaemic following a
glucose tolerance test, and those exposed postnatally had elevated fasting
glucose, compared to those unexposed. Significant differences in DNA
methylation at seven metastable epialleles (VTRNA2-1, PAX8, PRDM-9, near
ZFP57, near BOLA, EXD3) known to vary with gestational famine exposure
were identified. Conclusions Famine exposure in developmental life
programmed Bangladeshi offspring towards diabetes and obesity in adulthood
but gestational and postnatal windows of exposure had variable effects on
phenotype. DNA methylation differences were replicated at previously
identified metastable epialleles sensitive to periconceptual famine
exposure.