Implications of early life and contemporary influences on body composition, mental health, and precursors of chronic diseases in the Aboriginal birth cohort study

• Reach:

  National

• Focus area:

  Indigenous

• Status:

  Current

• Evaluated:

  No

• Time frame:

  1 January 2013 - 31 December 2016

Overview

This project is the fourth phase of the Aboriginal birth cohort study (ABC), a prospective longitudinal study which aims to examine the effect of early life events on later health and disease.

This phase will commence in 2013 and run until 2016. The specific aims of this phase are to:

• determine the age when a predominant pattern of under-nutrition changes to a predominant pattern of overweight
• evaluate the influence of birth size on selected measures of nutritional status, morbidity and potential risk factors of chronic adult disease at age 23-26 years
• examine the influence of psycho-social, economic factors and residence (urban vs remote) on growth, measures of nutrition and risk factors for chronic disease at age 23-26 years
• distribute the results to Indigenous people and wider Australian community in the most culturally accessible ways.

The ABC is the longest and largest prospective cohort study of Indigenous people in Australia. It began in 1987 and has 686 participants.

Menzies School of Health Research abstract

Contacts

Belinda Davison
Project Manager
Preterm Kidney and Life course studies
Menzies School of Health Research
John Matthews Building
Building 58, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus
PO Box 41096
Casuarina NT 0811
Ph: (08) 8922 8701
Fax: (08) 8927 5187
Email: belinda.davison@menzies.edu.au

Links

• View information: Aboriginal birth cohort study
• View contact details: Aboriginal birth cohort study
• View website: Aboriginal birth cohort study
• View website: Menzies School of Health Research