SIA Vector Analysis and Keratometry Prediction in Temporal SICS with 350 µm Scleral Incision Depth.

This study demonstrates that childhood experiences of hunger may exert enduring consequences for mental health in later life. The findings underscore the importance of adopting a life-course perspective in promoting psychological well-being, with particular attention to the economic, social, and cultural resources that shape resilience across adulthood. Although early-life deprivation cannot be reversed, its long-term psychological consequences may be mitigated through policies and interventions that reduce cumulative disadvantage and strengthen later-life resources. Hunger during childhood represents one of the most profound forms of early-life adversity, exerting far-reaching effects on health and well-being across the life course (; ). Early nutritional deprivation not only disrupts physical growth and cognitive development but also leaves lasting imprints on psychological functioning and social trajectories that may persist into older adulthood (; ; ). A substantial body of research has demonstrated that inadequate nutrition in early life is associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes later in the life course, including increased risks of chronic diseases, functional decline, and premature mortality (; ). Nevertheless, as scholars have noted, most existing studies have predominantly focused on physical health outcomes or mortality (), whereas the psychological sequelae of early-life starvation have received comparatively limited attention. This gap in the literature is particularly salient in rapidly aging societies such as China, where examining the long-term mental health consequences of early-life hunger is both timely and necessary. As the world’s largest aging society, China is home to more than 310 million adults aged 60 and above, many of whom experienced widespread food scarcity during their formative years. Historical events such as the Great Chinese Famine (1959–1961) subjected large segments of the population to severe nutritional deprivation in early childhood, thereby creating a distinct cohort with shared experiences of hunger (; ). Understanding how these early-life exposures influence mental health outcomes in later life is therefore not only of theoretical significance but also of pressing policy relevance. Generating empirical evidence on this topic can provide critical insights for the development of targeted public health interventions, social policies, and mental health services tailored to older adults whose life courses have been profoundly shaped by early-life starvation.