Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India
09:33

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India

Published on: December 23, 2022

The Taiwan Birth Panel Study: a prospective cohort study for environmentally- related child health

Chia-Jung Hsieh1, Wu-Shiun Hsieh, Yi-Ning Su

  • 1Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan. pchen@ntu.edu.tw.

BMC Research Notes
|August 16, 2011
PubMed

Insights

The Taiwan Birth Panel Study (TBPS) tracks child health and environmental exposures from prenatal stages through early childhood. This research investigates how factors like heavy metals and pesticides impact child development and disease.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Prospective birth cohort study investigating child health and disease development.
  • Focuses on in-utero and early childhood environmental exposures.
  • Addresses magnitude, timing, susceptibility, delayed effects, and toxicants in child development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To understand the impact of environmental exposures on child health outcomes.
  • To investigate prenatal and postnatal factors influencing child development.
  • To explore gene-environment interactions in childhood diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Enrolled 486 mother-infant pairs from April 2004 to January 2005.
  • Collected maternal blood, placenta, cord blood, and urine; child blood, urine, hair, and saliva at various follow-ups.
  • Follow-up assessments at birth, 4, 6 months, and 1, 2, 3, and 5 years.

Main Results:

  • Focused on child growth, neurodevelopment, behavioral problems, and atopic diseases.
  • Investigated prenatal/postnatal factors: smoking, heavy metals, perfluorinated chemicals, pesticides.
  • Considered the interaction between environmental factors and genetic influences.

Conclusions:

  • Addresses knowledge gaps in low-level, prenatal/postnatal, and multiple exposures.
  • Investigates genetic effect modification in environmentally-related childhood diseases.
  • Provides insights into the initiation and progression of environmentally-linked childhood illnesses.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Longitudinal Research02:20

Longitudinal Research

Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
Longitudinal Studies01:26

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
Gene-Environment Interactions01:20

Gene-Environment Interactions

Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
Bias in Epidemiological Studies01:29

Bias in Epidemiological Studies

Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is: