10.25384/SAGE.C.6409153
Delan Devakumar
Delan
Devakumar
University College London
Laura Busert
Laura
Busert
Manoji Gitanjali Sathiadas
Manoji Gitanjali
Sathiadas
Pushpika Jayawardana
Pushpika
Jayawardana
Angela Arulpragasam
Angela
Arulpragasam
Clive Osmond
Clive
Osmond
University of Southampton
Caroline H. D. Fall
Caroline H. D.
Fall
University of Southampton
Jonathan C. K. Wells
Jonathan C. K.
Wells
University College London
V. Pujitha Wickramasinghe
V. Pujitha
Wickramasinghe
The Long-Term Consequences of Early Life Exposure to Tsunami and Conflict on Adolescents in Sri Lanka
<div><p>The consequences for adolescent health due to early life exposure to natural disasters combined with war are not known. We collected data from adolescents aged 12-13 years in Sri Lanka whose mothers were pregnant during the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 in a tsunami-affected region (n = 22), conflict-affected region (n = 35), conflict-plus-tsunami-affected region (n = 29), or controls in areas unaffected by either (n = 24). Adjusted BMI-for-age z-scores were 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4, 2.2), 1.0 (95% CI 0.2, 1.9), and 2.0 (95% CI 1.1, 2.9) for conflict, tsunami, and conflict-plus-tsunami, respectively, compared with the control group. Greater skinfold thickness and higher diastolic blood pressure were found in adolescents born in the conflict zone but no differences were found in height, head circumference, and waist circumference, or blood results, with the exception of serum insulin. Being born after a natural disaster or during conflict was associated with increased adolescent BMI and body fat, which are associated with longer-term risk of noncommunicable disease.</p></div>
111799 Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified
SAGE Journals
2023
2023-02-01
2023-02-01
Collection
10.1177/10105395231151730
CC BY 4.0