Effect Of Diet and Other Early Exposures on Child Health and Development

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Diet and other early exposures may affect child development and the risk of several chronic diseases, but additional research is needed. The current research described in this catch-all project comprises one project, described below. The weight of the placenta is often measured and may reflect the level of exposure of the fetus to certain hormones during gestation. In the report we published this year on this topic, we showed that placental weight was a useful indicator of estrogen exposure during pregnancy, an observation that will be of use in studies examining early-life risk factors for chronic diseases in adulthood. We also began work on a project examining physical activity during pregnancy in relation to neurodevelopment in offspring, based on data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. As would be predicted on the basis of results in animal experiments, if the mother excercised during pregnancy the children's early language development was improved, independently of measured confounding factors. A draft manuscript is is preparation. Last years progress: 1 paper was published (see list below).