Journal Article

The Generation R Study: design and cohort update 2012

Steegers, Eric A. P., Hofman, Albert, van der Lugt, Aad, Raat, Hein, de Jongste, Johan C., van Duijn, Cornelia M., Tiemeier, Henning, Uitterlinden, Andre G., Verhulst, Frank C., Jaddoe, Vincent W. V., Franco, Oscar H., van IIzendoorn, Marinus H., Moll, Henriëtte A., Mackenbach, Johan P., Rivadeneira, Fernando, van der Heijden, Albert J.

2012

Overview

The Generation R Study is a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal life until adulthood. The study is designed to identify early environmental and genetic causes and causal pathways leading to normal and abnormal growth, development and health during fetal life, childhood and adulthood. The study focuses on six areas of research: (1) maternal health; (2) growth and physical development; (3) behavioural and cognitive development; (4) respiratory health and allergies; (5) diseases in childhood; and (6) health and healthcare for children and their parents. Main exposures of interest include environmental, endocrine, genetic and epigenetic, lifestyle related, nutritional and socio-demographic determinants. In total, n = 9,778 mothers with a delivery date from April 2002 until January 2006 were enrolled in the study. Response at baseline was 61 %, and general follow-up rates until the age of 6 years exceed 80 %. Data collection in mothers, fathers and children include questionnaires, detailed physical and ultrasound examinations, behavioural observations, and biological samples. A genome and epigenome wide association screen is available in the participating children. From the age of 5 years, regular detailed hands-on assessments are performed in a dedicated research center including advanced imaging facilities such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Eventually, results forthcoming from the Generation R Study contribute to the development of strategies for optimizing health and healthcare for pregnant women and children.

• Publisher: Springer,Springer Netherlands,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adult / Allergies / Biological and medical sciences / Biological samples / Cardiology / Child / Child Behavior - physiology / Child care / Child development / Child Development - physiology / Childhood / Children / Cognition / Cohort Studies / Data collection / Data Collection - methods / Development strategies / Environment / Epidemiologic Research Design / Epidemiology / Family Characteristics / Female / Fetal Development - genetics / Fetal Development - physiology / General aspects / Genome-Wide Association Study / Growth Disorders - epidemiology / Growth Disorders - etiology / Growth Disorders - genetics / Health / Health care / Humans / Infant / Infants / Infectious Diseases / Male / Maternal Health Services / Medical sciences / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Miscellaneous / Mortality / Mothers / Netherlands - epidemiology / Oncology / Physical Examination - methods / Pregnancy / Prenatal development / Public Health / Public health. Hygiene / Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine / Questionnaires / Research Design / School age children / STUDY UPDATE / Surveys and Questionnaires / Ultrasonography / Young adults