A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine investigated the link between prenatal famine and adult Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using the Ukrainian Holodomor famine of 1932-1933 as a case study. They examined 128,225 cases of Type 2 diabetes diagnosed between 2000-2008 among 10,186,016 Ukrainian males and females born between 1930 and 1938.
A study led by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that individuals who were exposed to famine early in their gestation had a more than two-fold likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes compared to those who were not exposed to the famine. The results of this study have been published in the journal Science.
The famine resulted in 4 million excess deaths in a short period, with the most significant losses occurring within a 6-month period. The Holodomor far surpassed other famines in its severity. In 1933, life expectancies at birth were only 7.2 years for females and 4.3 years for males.
“The setting in Ukraine provided a unique opportunity to study the long-term effects of the Holodomor, a famine that resulted in widespread hunger and death, on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) cases diagnosed seven decades after prenatal exposure to the famine,” explained Dr. L.H. Lumey, a professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Public Health. “The famine occurred over a six-month period in early 1933, allowing us to determine the timing of the famine and the varying severity across different regions.”
Stalin used famine as a weapon of terror against Ukrainian farmers, leading to a devastating concentration. When Ukraine could not meet its grain quotas for the Soviet Central Government, drastic measures were taken under the pretext of countering sabotage by counter-revolutionary elements. A widespread campaign involved searching peasants’ homes for “hidden” or “stolen” grain, leading to food confiscation and leaving families without supplies for the winter. Additionally, measures were put in place to restrict Ukrainian peasants’ ability to seek out food elsewhere.
Sure, here is the revised text for clarity and correctness:These measures led to a devastating situation. Many rural families were left without any food, as avenues to search for food were closed and grain reserve funds were depleted. As a result, thousands of rural families were condemned to a slow death by starvation in their villages. The impact was a remarkable increase in excess deaths during the Holodomor between January and June 1933. At the peak of the famine in June 1933, there were an average of 28,000 famine-related deaths per day, equivalent to 1,167 deaths per hour or 19 per minute.
“Our research on the long-term health effects of the Holodomor famine highlights important lessons for addressing health challenges caused by national disasters,” says Lumey. “It emphasizes the need for a thorough healthcare and policy framework that considers the enduring impact of early-life adversities on population health and their potential long-term consequences on chronic diseases and mental health.”
Individuals diagnosed with T2DM between 2000 and 2008 may have been overweight or obese and had other risk factors for the disease. However, the research team found that the specific relationship between adult T2DM risk and the location and date of birth during the famine suggests that famine exposure in early gestation is the dominant factor that outweighs all others.
“This awareness should prompt a proactive approach among policymakers and public health officials to anticipate the increased healthcare needs among populations affected by national disasters. It also highlights the importance of raising awareness about the potential long-term health effects of early-life adversities,” observed Lumey.
“Developing policies to address long-term health challenges after a national disaster is crucial. Our study highlights the need for policies to prevent events like the Holodomor from recurring. Dr. Wolowyna of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill points out that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is a grim reminder of history repeating itself. The three-month siege of the city of Mariupol to starve the population into surrender during the current war in Ukraine serves as a stark reminder of the current and real danger. Furthermore, the blockade of Ukrainian ports to prevent the export of Ukrainian grain to developing countries in Africa and Asia has increased the risk of starvation for millions of people in these regions.”