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Oken E, Bastain TM, Bornkamp N, Breton CV, Fry RC, Gold DR, Hivert MF, Howland S, Jackson DJ, Johnson CC, Jones K, Killingbeck M, O’Shea TM, Ortega M, Ownby D, Perera F, Rollins JV, Herbstman JB. When a birth cohort grows up: challenges and opportunities in longitudinal developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) research. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2023; 14:175-181. [PMID: 36408681 PMCID: PMC9998333 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174422000629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
High-quality evidence from prospective longitudinal studies in humans is essential to testing hypotheses related to the developmental origins of health and disease. In this paper, the authors draw upon their own experiences leading birth cohorts with longitudinal follow-up into adulthood to describe specific challenges and lessons learned. Challenges are substantial and grow over time. Long-term funding is essential for study operations and critical to retaining study staff, who develop relationships with participants and hold important institutional knowledge and technical skill sets. To maintain contact, we recommend that cohorts apply multiple strategies for tracking and obtain as much high-quality contact information as possible before the child's 18th birthday. To maximize engagement, we suggest that cohorts offer flexibility in visit timing, length, location, frequency, and type. Data collection may entail multiple modalities, even at a single collection timepoint, including measures that are self-reported, research-measured, and administrative with a mix of remote and in-person collection. Many topics highly relevant for adolescent and young adult health and well-being are considered to be private in nature, and their assessment requires sensitivity. To motivate ongoing participation, cohorts must work to understand participant barriers and motivators, share scientific findings, and provide appropriate compensation for participation. It is essential for cohorts to strive for broad representation including individuals from higher risk populations, not only among the participants but also the staff. Successful longitudinal follow-up of a study population ultimately requires flexibility, adaptability, appropriate incentives, and opportunities for feedback from participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Oken
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Theresa M. Bastain
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicole Bornkamp
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Diane R. Gold
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Department of Medicine, Channing Division of Network Medicine; Environmental Health Department, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steve Howland
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel J. Jackson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Kyra Jones
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - MollyAn Killingbeck
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Marleny Ortega
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dennis Ownby
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Frederica Perera
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie V. Rollins
- Department of Pediatrics, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Julie B. Herbstman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Abstract
Almost 2 billion adults in the world are overweight, and more than half of them are classified as obese, while nearly one-third of children globally experience poor growth and development. Given the vast amount of knowledge that has been gleaned from decades of research on growth and development, a number of questions remain as to why the world is now in the midst of a global epidemic of obesity accompanied by the "double burden of malnutrition," where overweight coexists with underweight and micronutrient deficiencies. This challenge to the human condition can be attributed to nutritional and environmental exposures during pregnancy that may program a fetus to have a higher risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. To explore this concept, frequently called the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), this review considers a host of factors and physiological mechanisms that drive a fetus or child toward a higher risk of obesity, fatty liver disease, hypertension, and/or type 2 diabetes (T2D). To that end, this review explores the epidemiology of DOHaD with discussions focused on adaptations to human energetics, placental development, dysmetabolism, and key environmental exposures that act to promote chronic diseases in adulthood. These areas are complementary and additive in understanding how providing the best conditions for optimal growth can create the best possible conditions for lifelong health. Moreover, understanding both physiological as well as epigenetic and molecular mechanisms for DOHaD is vital to most fully address the global issues of obesity and other chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Hoffman
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Program in International Nutrition, and Center for Childhood Nutrition Research, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Theresa L Powell
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Division of Exposure Science and Epidemiology, Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Daniel B Hardy
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Division of Exposure Science and Epidemiology, Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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Giscombé CL, Lobel M. Explaining disproportionately high rates of adverse birth outcomes among African Americans: the impact of stress, racism, and related factors in pregnancy. Psychol Bull 2005. [PMID: 16187853 DOI: 10.1037/00332909.131.5.662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Compared with European Americans, African American infants experience disproportionately high rates of low birth weight and preterm delivery and are more than twice as likely to die during their 1st year of life. The authors examine 5 explanations for these differences in rates of adverse birth outcomes: (a) ethnic differences in health behaviors and socioeconomic status; (b) higher levels of stress in African American women; (c) greater susceptibility to stress in African Americans; (d) the impact of racism acting either as a contributor to stress or as a factor that exacerbates stress effects; and (e) ethnic differences in stress-related neuroendocrine, vascular, and immunological processes. The review of literature indicates that each explanation has some merit, although none is sufficient to explain ethnic disparities in adverse birth outcomes. There is a lack of studies examining the impact of such factors jointly and interactively. Recommendations and cautions for future research are offered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl L Giscombé
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA
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Giscombé CL, Lobel M. Explaining disproportionately high rates of adverse birth outcomes among African Americans: the impact of stress, racism, and related factors in pregnancy. Psychol Bull 2005; 131:662-83. [PMID: 16187853 PMCID: PMC7451246 DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.131.5.662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Compared with European Americans, African American infants experience disproportionately high rates of low birth weight and preterm delivery and are more than twice as likely to die during their 1st year of life. The authors examine 5 explanations for these differences in rates of adverse birth outcomes: (a) ethnic differences in health behaviors and socioeconomic status; (b) higher levels of stress in African American women; (c) greater susceptibility to stress in African Americans; (d) the impact of racism acting either as a contributor to stress or as a factor that exacerbates stress effects; and (e) ethnic differences in stress-related neuroendocrine, vascular, and immunological processes. The review of literature indicates that each explanation has some merit, although none is sufficient to explain ethnic disparities in adverse birth outcomes. There is a lack of studies examining the impact of such factors jointly and interactively. Recommendations and cautions for future research are offered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl L Giscombé
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA
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