- Cohort, name
Growing Up in Wales: Environments for Healthy Living
Cohort, abbreviation
EHL
Cohort, country
United Kingdom
Cohort, website
http://www.ehl.swansea.ac.uk
Key reference
Hill RA, Brophy S, Brunt H, Storey M, Thomas NE, Thornton CA, Palmer S, Dunstan F, Paranjothy S, McClure R, Rodgers SE, Lyons RA. Protocol of the baseline assessment for the Environments for Healthy Living (EHL) Wales cohort study. BMC Public Health. 2010 Mar 23;10:150.
Date of filling in this questionnaire:
2011-09-22 - Principal investigator(s), name
Sinead Brophy
Principal investigator(s), e-mail address
s.brophy@swansea.ac.uk
Principal investigator(s), institution
Grove Building, College of Medicine, Swansea University
Contact person(s), name
Sinead Brophy; Rebecca Hill
Contact person(s), e-mail address
s.brophy@swansea.ac.uk; r.a.hill@swansea.ac.uk
Contact person(s), institution address
Grove Building, College of Medicine, Swansea University
- Main aim of cohort
EHL investigates the longitudinal influence of gestational and early-life environmental and behavioural exposures on the health of offspring. Its main foci are: the development of overweight and obesity and their attendant co-morbidities; maternal mental health; and childhood unintentional injuries. Exposures being investigated are those that occur antenatally (parental body composition, blood glucose, blood pressure, diet and physical activity, family circumstances and household/neighbourhood conditions) and post-natally (birth outcomes, early feeding/weaning/diet, growth and development, sleep patterns, diet, physical activity, childcare, and ongoing/changing family circumstances and household/neighbourhood conditions).
Recruited number of:
420 children / 420 mothers / 0 fathers / 0 grand parents / 0 other family members
Approximate proportion of source population included
20
Source population
Region-based - Period of enrollment
Start: 2009-10-01, End: 2012-00-00
Enrollment period
Pregnancy, week 12 to 40
Enrollment criteria, please specify
Women aged 16 years and older and reciving their antenatal care within Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (ABM) University NHS Board
Exclusion criteria, please specify
Women aged 15 years and younger; Women receiving their care outside of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (ABM) University NHS Board
Planned age of children at end of follow-up
Life-long / unrestricted
General information | ---------- Child age (years) at assessment ---------- | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | >18 | |
Home address | ||||||||||||||||||||
School address |
Birth outcomes | |
---|---|
Birth weight | X |
Birth length | X |
Gestational age at birth | X |
Apgar score | X |
Congenital malformations | X |
Stillbirth (>= 22 weeks) | |
Child’s sex | |
Head circumference | |
Biparietal diameter |
Child exposures | ---------- Child age (years) at assessment ---------- | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | >18 | |
Breast feeding | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||
Diet | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||
Dietary supplements | ||||||||||||||||||||
Childcare attendance | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||
Active smoking | ||||||||||||||||||||
Passive smoking | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||
Alcohol consumption | ||||||||||||||||||||
Physical activity | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||
Substance use | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medicine intake | ||||||||||||||||||||
Vaccinations | ||||||||||||||||||||
Psychological distress (e.g. bullying) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Air pollution | ||||||||||||||||||||
Access to green spaces | ||||||||||||||||||||
Built environment | ||||||||||||||||||||
Noise | ||||||||||||||||||||
Radiation, electromagnetic fields | ||||||||||||||||||||
Water contamination | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pets | ||||||||||||||||||||
Farm animal exposure | ||||||||||||||||||||
Biomarkers of exposure | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mercury | ||||||||||||||||||||
Lead | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cadmium | ||||||||||||||||||||
Arsenic | ||||||||||||||||||||
Other metals | ||||||||||||||||||||
Polychlorinated biphenyl esters | ||||||||||||||||||||
Dicloro difenil tricloroetano | ||||||||||||||||||||
Hexachlorobenzene | ||||||||||||||||||||
Brominated flame retardants | ||||||||||||||||||||
Perflouralkyl compounds | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bisphenol A | ||||||||||||||||||||
Other bisphenols | ||||||||||||||||||||
Parabens | ||||||||||||||||||||
Benzophenones | ||||||||||||||||||||
Triclosan | ||||||||||||||||||||
Phthalates | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cotinine |
Child development and health | ---------- Child age (years) at assessment ---------- | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | >18 | |
Anthropometry | ||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | ||||||||||||||||||||
Height | ||||||||||||||||||||
Head circumference | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||
Abdominal circumference | ||||||||||||||||||||
Arm circumference | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wrist circumference | ||||||||||||||||||||
Waist circumference | ||||||||||||||||||||
Clinical examinations | ||||||||||||||||||||
Blood pressure | ||||||||||||||||||||
Carotida intima media thickness | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pulse wave velocity | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cardiac ultrasound | ||||||||||||||||||||
Renal ultrasound | X | |||||||||||||||||||
Brain MRI | ||||||||||||||||||||
Other MRI | ||||||||||||||||||||
DEXA‐scan results | ||||||||||||||||||||
Skin folds | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bio impedence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Oscilometry | ||||||||||||||||||||
Spirometry | ||||||||||||||||||||
Skin prick test | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bronchial challenge test | ||||||||||||||||||||
Reversibility test | ||||||||||||||||||||
Dental observations | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mental and neurological development | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cognitive function | ||||||||||||||||||||
School performance | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||
Language | ||||||||||||||||||||
ADHD | ||||||||||||||||||||
Autism | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sleep disturbances | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||
Mental health | ||||||||||||||||||||
Respiratory health | ||||||||||||||||||||
Asthma | ||||||||||||||||||||
Allergy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Allergic rhinitis | ||||||||||||||||||||
Eczema | ||||||||||||||||||||
Respiratory tract infections | ||||||||||||||||||||
Senses | ||||||||||||||||||||
Vision | ||||||||||||||||||||
Hearing | ||||||||||||||||||||
Musculo-skeletal health | ||||||||||||||||||||
Back pain | ||||||||||||||||||||
Neck pain | ||||||||||||||||||||
Growing pains | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sexual maturation | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tanner stage | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pubertal development stage | ||||||||||||||||||||
Age at menarche | ||||||||||||||||||||
Age at voice change | ||||||||||||||||||||
2D/4D digit ratio | ||||||||||||||||||||
Nocturnal ejaculation | ||||||||||||||||||||
Acne | ||||||||||||||||||||
Other health outcomes | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cancer | ||||||||||||||||||||
Diabetes | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||
Congenital anomalies | ||||||||||||||||||||
Biomarkers of health | ||||||||||||||||||||
Nephrology (e.g. creatinine, albumin) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thyroid hormones | ||||||||||||||||||||
Inflammatory markers (e.g. C-reactive protein cytokines) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Immunologic markers (e.g. immunoglobulines) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cortisol | ||||||||||||||||||||
Vitamines and micronutrients | ||||||||||||||||||||
Gonadal axis hormones (e.g. testosterone, estradiol) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Metabolism (e.g. cholesterol, LDL, HDL, insulin, triglycerides) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Metabolomics | ||||||||||||||||||||
DNA methylation | ||||||||||||||||||||
Transcriptomics (mRNA, miRNA) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Genome-wide association study (GWAS) |
Child biological samples | ---------- Child age (years) at sampling ---------- | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
At birth | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | >18 | |
Whole blood | |||||||||||||||||||||
Serum | |||||||||||||||||||||
Plasma | |||||||||||||||||||||
Buffy coat | |||||||||||||||||||||
Urine | |||||||||||||||||||||
Hair | |||||||||||||||||||||
Teeth | |||||||||||||||||||||
Nails | |||||||||||||||||||||
Saliva | |||||||||||||||||||||
Purified DNA | |||||||||||||||||||||
Purified RNA | |||||||||||||||||||||
Red blood cells | |||||||||||||||||||||
Umbilical cord blood/tissue | |||||||||||||||||||||
Blood smear | |||||||||||||||||||||
Faeces/meconium | |||||||||||||||||||||
Exhaled breathe condensate | |||||||||||||||||||||
Sputum induction | |||||||||||||||||||||
Placenta |
General information | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | During pregnancy | <1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |
Education | X | ||||||||||||||||||||
Income | X | ||||||||||||||||||||
Employment status | |||||||||||||||||||||
Job title | |||||||||||||||||||||
Single parenthood | X | ||||||||||||||||||||
Home address | |||||||||||||||||||||
Work address |
Maternal characteristics related to the index pregnancy/child | |
---|---|
Age at birth | X |
Ethnicity | X |
Country of birth | |
Planned pregnancy | |
Time to pregnancy | |
Fertility treatment | |
Prior spontaneous abortion (<22w) | |
Prior births | X |
Ultrasound measurements | |
Doppler measurements | |
Preeclampsia | X |
Gestational diabetes | |
Gestational hypertension | |
Gestational duration | X |
Mode of delivery | X |
Prenatal diagnostics | X |
Medical termination of pregnancy |
Maternal Exposures | ---------- Timing of assessment ---------- | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | First trimester | Second trimester | Third trimester | Post pregnancy | |
Diet | X | X | |||
Dietary supplements | X | X | X | ||
Active smoking | X | X | X | X | |
Passive smoking | X | X | X | X | |
Alcohol consumption | X | X | X | X | |
Physical activity | X | X | |||
Substance use | |||||
Medicine intake | X | X | X | ||
Coffee drinking | X | X | |||
Psychological distress (e.g. life-events, health behaviors, perceived stress) | X | X | |||
Occupational exposures | |||||
Heavy lifts | |||||
Work hours | |||||
Air pollution | |||||
Access to green spaces | |||||
Built environment | |||||
Noise | |||||
Radiation, electromagnetic fields | |||||
Water contamination | |||||
Binge drinking | |||||
Pets | |||||
Farm animal exposure | |||||
Biomarkers of exposure | |||||
Mercury | |||||
Lead | |||||
Cadmium | |||||
Arsenic | |||||
Other metals | |||||
Polychlorinated biphenyl esters | |||||
Dicloro difenil tricloroetano | |||||
Hexachlorobenzene | |||||
Brominated flame retardants | |||||
Perflouralkyl compounds | |||||
Bisphenol A | |||||
Other bisphenols | |||||
Parabens | |||||
Benzophenones | |||||
Triclosan | |||||
Phthalates | |||||
Cotinine |
Maternal health | ---------- Timing of assessment ---------- | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | First trimester | Second trimester | Third trimester | Post pregnancy | |
Anthropometry | |||||
Weight | |||||
Height | |||||
Waist circumference | |||||
Clinical examinations | |||||
Blood pressure | X | X | X | X | |
Carotida intima media thickness | |||||
Pulse wave velocity | |||||
DEXA scans | |||||
Bioimpedence | |||||
Mental and neurological development | |||||
Mental health | X | X | X | X | X |
Cognitive function (e.g. intelligence quotient) | |||||
Respiratory health | |||||
Asthma | |||||
Allergy | |||||
Musculo‐skeletal disease | |||||
Back pain | |||||
Neck pain | |||||
Arthritis | |||||
Other health outcomes | |||||
Cancer | |||||
Diabetes | X | X | X | X | X |
Cardio‐vascular disease | X | X | X | X | X |
Family history of chronic disease | |||||
Infectious disease | |||||
Fever | |||||
Autoimmune disease | |||||
Urinary symptoms | |||||
Sexual problems | |||||
Sleep disturbance | |||||
Biomarkers of health | |||||
Nephrology (e.g. creatinine, albumin) | |||||
Thyroid hormones | |||||
Inflammatory markers (e.g. C-reactive protein cytokines) | |||||
Immunologic markers (e.g. immunoglobulines) | |||||
Cortisol | |||||
Vitamines and micronutrients | |||||
Gonadal axis hormones (e.g. testosterone, estradiol) | |||||
Metabolism (e.g. cholesterol, LDL, HDL, insulin, triglycerides) | |||||
Metabolomics | |||||
DNA methylation | |||||
Transcriptomics (mRNA, miRNA) | |||||
Genome-wide association study (GWAS) |
Maternal biological samples | ---------- Timing of sampling ---------- | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | First trimester | Second trimester | Third trimester | Post pregnancy | |
Breast milk | |||||
Whole blood | |||||
Serum | |||||
Plasma | |||||
Buffy coat | |||||
Urine | |||||
Hair | |||||
Nails | |||||
Saliva | |||||
Purified DNA | |||||
Purified RNA | |||||
Red blood cells | |||||
Faeces |
General information | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | During pregnancy | <1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |
Education | X | ||||||||||||||||||||
Income | X | ||||||||||||||||||||
Employment status | |||||||||||||||||||||
Job title | |||||||||||||||||||||
Single parenthood | |||||||||||||||||||||
Home address | |||||||||||||||||||||
Work address |
Paternal characteristics related to the index pregnancy/child | |
---|---|
Fertility treatment | |
Age at child's birth | X |
Ethnicity | X |
Country of birth |
Paternal exposures | ---------- Timing of assessment ---------- | ||
---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | During pregnancy | Post pregnancy | |
Diet | X | ||
Dietary supplements | |||
Active smoking | |||
Passive smoking | |||
Alcohol consumption | |||
Physical activity | X | ||
Substance use | |||
Medicine intake | |||
Coffee drinking | |||
Psychological distress (e.g. life-events, health behaviors, perceived stress) | |||
Occupational exposures | X | X | |
Heavy lifts | |||
Work hours | |||
Air pollution | |||
Access to green spaces | |||
Built environment | |||
Noise | |||
Radiation, electromagnetic fields | |||
Water contamination | |||
Binge drinking | |||
Pets | |||
Farm animal exposure | |||
Biomarkers of exposure | |||
Mercury | |||
Lead | |||
Cadmium | |||
Arsenic | |||
Other metals | |||
Polychlorinated biphenyl esters | |||
Dicloro difenil tricloroetano | |||
Hexachlorobenzene | |||
Brominated flame retardants | |||
Perflouralkyl compounds | |||
Bisphenol A | |||
Other bisphenols | |||
Parabens | |||
Benzophenones | |||
Triclosan | |||
Phthalates | |||
Cotinine |
Paternal health | ---------- Timing of assessment ---------- | ||
---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | During pregnancy | Post pregnancy | |
Anthropometry | |||
Weight | |||
Height | |||
Waist circumference | |||
Clinical examinations | |||
Blood pressure | |||
Carotida intima media thickness | |||
Pulse wave velocity | |||
DEXA scans | |||
Bio impedence | |||
Mental and neurological development | |||
Mental health | X | X | |
Cognitive function (e.g. intelligence quotient) | |||
Respiratory health | |||
Asthma | |||
Allergy | |||
Musculo‐skeletal disease | |||
Back pain | |||
Neck pain | |||
Arthritis | |||
Other health outcomes | |||
Cancer | |||
Diabetes | X | X | |
Cardio‐vascular disease | X | X | |
Family history of chronic disease | |||
Infectious disease | |||
Fever | |||
Autoimmune disease | |||
Urinary symptoms | |||
Sexual problems | |||
Sleep disturbance | |||
Biomarkers of health | |||
Nephrology (e.g. creatinine, albumin) | |||
Thyroid hormones | |||
Inflammatory markers (e.g. C-reactive protein cytokines) | |||
Immunologic markers (e.g. immunoglobulines) | |||
Cortisol | |||
Vitamines and micronutrients | |||
Gonadal axis hormones (e.g. testosterone, estradiol) | |||
Metabolism (e.g. cholesterol, LDL, HDL, insulin, triglycerides) | |||
Metabolomics | |||
DNA methylation | |||
Transcriptomics (mRNA, miRNA) | |||
Genome-wide association study (GWAS) |
Paternal biological samples | ---------- Timing of sampling ---------- | ||
---|---|---|---|
Pre-pregnancy | During pregnancy | Post pregnancy | |
Semen | |||
Whole blood | |||
Serum | |||
Plasma | |||
Buffy coat | |||
Urine | |||
Hair | |||
Nails | |||
Saliva | |||
Purified DNA | |||
Purified RNA | |||
Red blood cells | |||
Faeces |
Comments and ideas
The major strength of EHL is its use of data linkage to conduct and support high quality research. EHL has a unique study component in linking to electronically-held, person-based, routinely collected and anonymised health and social care data. Benefits of this unique methodology include reducing participant burden for the longitudinal follow-up of outcomes, minimising sample attrition, and enabling the modelling of findings to create a total-population cohort.
The major strength of EHL is its use of data linkage to conduct and support high quality research. EHL has a unique study component in linking to electronically-held, person-based, routinely collected and anonymised health and social care data. Benefits of this unique methodology include reducing participant burden for the longitudinal follow-up of outcomes, minimising sample attrition, and enabling the modelling of findings to create a total-population cohort.