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Simple Summary: The PELICan hypothesis speaks to the role of perinatal and early life stressors (including malnutrition) in the causation of young-onset cancers. To date, there is no evidence correlating perinatal malnutrition and the risk of young-onset cancer. The Great Famine of China was a significant event in human history. The present study compared the incidence of young-onset cancers in individuals born during and just after the famine to those born prior to the famine. Perinatal exposure to famine, especially in females, was associated with a higher risk of young-onset cancer. This was particularly evident for young-onset genitourinary cancers. Background/Objectives: Perinatal exposure to malnutrition has been hypothesised to influence the development of young-onset cancer (≤50 years of age). This study aimed to determine if perinatal malnutrition in individuals exposed to the Great Famine of China increased their risk of developing young-onset cancer compared to other individuals born prior to the famine. Subjects/Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 7272 participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey who were classified into four groups based on birth year: participants born between 1953 and 1955 (before the famine) were designated as the pre-famine group (unexposed); the remainder formed perinatal exposure groups comprised of those exposed during the famine (1959–1961), those exposed in the early post-famine period (1962–1964), and those exposed in the late post-famine period (1965–1967). Multivariable adjusted log-binomial regression models were used to calculate the RR and 95% CI of young-onset cancer (including genitourinary cancer) across four groups. Results: Perinatal exposure to early post-famine (RR 2.08; 95%CI 1.04, 4.34; p = 0.043) and the female sex (RR 15.6, 95%CI 4.54, 60.3; p < 0.001) were noted to have a significantly increased risk of young-onset cancer. In addition, the early (RR 13.8; 95%CI 2.68, 253; p = 0.012) and late post-famine (RR 12.3; 95%CI 2.16, 231; p = 0.020) cohorts demonstrated a significantly increased risk of young-onset genitourinary cancer. The latter was accompanied by an increased risk of hypertension (RR 3.30; 95%CI 1.28, 7.87; p = 0.009). Conclusions: Perinatal exposure to famine, especially in females, was associated with a higher risk of young-onset cancer. This was particularly evident for young-onset genitourinary cancers. These findings highlight the potential long-term impact of perinatal malnutrition on young-onset carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The urban ambient air quality has been largely improved in the past decade. It is unknown whether childhood asthma prevalence is still increasing in ever top‐ranking city of Shanghai, whether the improved air quality is beneficial for children's asthma and what time window of exposure plays critical roles. Methods: Using a repeat cross‐sectional design, we analyzed the association between early life exposure to particles and wheezing/asthma in each individual and combined surveys in 2011 and 2019, respectively, in 11,825 preschool children in Shanghai. Results: A significantly lower prevalence of doctor‐diagnosed asthma (DDA) (6.6% vs. 10.5%, p < 0.001) and wheezing (10.5% vs. 23.2%, p < 0.001) was observed in 2019 compared to 2011. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), coarse particles (PM2.5–10) and inhalable particles (PM10) was decreased in 2019 by 6.3%, 35.4%, and 44.7% in uterus and 24.3%, 20.2%, and 31.8% in infancy, respectively. Multilevel log‐binomial regression analysis showed exposure in infancy had independent association with wheezing/DDA adjusting for exposure in uterus. For each interquartile range (IQR) increase of infancy PM2.5, PM2.5–10 and PM10 exposure, the odds ratios were 1.39 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.24–1.56), 1.51 (95% CI:1.15–1.98) and 1.53 (95% CI:1.27–1.85) for DDA, respectively. The distributed lag non‐linear model showed the sensitive exposure window (SEW) was 5.5–11 months after birth. Stratified analysis showed the SEWs were at or shortly after weaning, but only in those with <6 months of exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusions: Improved ambient PM benefits in decreasing childhood asthma prevalence. We firstly reported the finding of SEW to PM at or closely after weaning on childhood asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]