The Early Life Factors Study of Childhood Diseases

The aims of this project are:

1. To establish a large dynamic cohort of infants who will be followed till adulthood.
2. To assess associations between a wide range of early life exposures/events/life style factors and a broad range of health outcomes in early childhood including those listed below.
3. To assess the association between maternal diet and congenital malformations, infant deaths, low birth weight, growth patterns up to age 18 months, hospital admissions in infancy, childhood obesity, and allergies and asthma symptoms.
4. To assess the association between parental occupational exposures and congenital malformations, infant deaths, and low birth weight.
5. To assess the association between domestic exposures to common cleaning agents during pregnancy and in the first few months after birth, and asthma symptoms in infants
6. To assess the association between indoor dampness and fungal exposure, and allergies and asthma symptoms in infants.
7. To assess the association between ethnicity and/or low socio-economic status and low birth weight, an increased risk of hospital admissions in infants, growth patterns up to 18 months, and obesity after two years of age.
8. To assess the association between infant diet and allergy and asthma symptoms, and obesity after two years of age;
9. To provide a sampling frame for more detailed clinical studies on specific diseases by selecting subjects from the larger data base

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

Howe L, Ellison-Loschmann L, Pearce N, Douwes J, Jeffreys M, Tupai-Firestone R. Ethnic differences in early life risk factors for later obesity: a prospective cohort study in New Zealand. J Epidemiol Community Health, 2015; 69(6): 516-522.