Cohort profile: Mysore parthenon birth cohort

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Human Development
• Public Health

Background:

• Maternal health during pregnancy, including glucose tolerance and nutritional status, may influence offspring's long-term health.
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors can originate in early life, highlighting the importance of birth cohort studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the long-term effects of maternal glucose tolerance and nutritional status on cardiovascular disease risk factors in offspring.
• To collect extensive serial data on offspring development and parental health.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 830 pregnant women from Mysore, India, for oral glucose tolerance tests.
• Followed 663 live-born infants, excluding those with major congenital anomalies.
• Conducted detailed anthropometry, cardiovascular investigations, and collected data on physiological, biochemical, dietary, physical activity, stress, cognitive, and socio-demographic parameters for offspring and parents.

Main Results:

• The study established a birth cohort with comprehensive data on maternal and offspring health.
• Detailed anthropometric and cardiovascular data were collected at multiple time points from birth to adolescence.
• Extensive physiological, biochemical, lifestyle, and socio-demographic data were gathered for both children and parents.

Conclusions:

• The Mysore Parthenon Birth Cohort provides a valuable resource for understanding the developmental origins of cardiovascular disease.
• Longitudinal data collection allows for the examination of early life influences on later life health outcomes.
• This study contributes to public health by identifying potential targets for early intervention to prevent cardiovascular disease.