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The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children 1992 (ALSPAC)

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children 1992 (ALSPAC) provides data for research into the genetic and environmental factors affecting a person's health and development.

Background

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood or ALSPAC for short, is also known as 'Children of the 90s'. More than 14,000 mothers in the former county of Avon enrolled during pregnancy in 1991 and 1992. The health and development of their children has been followed in great detail ever since.

Purpose

ALSPAC now holds a vast bank of health and lifestyle data and biological samples. This unique resource is used by a variety of worldwide stakeholders for vital research into a wide range of medical and social problems, particularly child health issues and the causes and prevention of childhood ailments and disorders.

Type of data collected

During pregnancy: medical history and physical health of mother and grandparents, exposure to environmental pollutants, sleeping patterns, diet, caffeine and alcohol consumption, smoking, illegal drug taking, psychological wellbeing of parents, their expectations and attitudes, social support networks.

Early childhood: health, lifestyle, and development. At focus clinics, physical measurements and psychological tests, regular biological samples, DNA extraction, school performance on SATS and GCSEs.

ALSPAC links to additional sources of data on participants include: national pupil database and school census data, and information on death and cancer.

Contribution

ALSPAC is one of the key long-term health research projects undertaken. Its research findings are widely reported and include topics such as ways to reduce cot death, the benefits for a child's IQ and communication skills of a mother eating fish in pregnancy, the dangers of mothers smoking in pregnancy and evidence that children brought up in very hygienic homes are more likely to develop asthma.

Further information

Email: alspac-project@bristol.ac.uk
Telephone: 0117 331 0010

Website: ALSPAC