Cohort Profile: The Applied Research Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!)

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health Research
• Longitudinal Cohort Studies
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• The Applied Research Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!) is a Canadian primary care-based research network.
• It focuses on healthy children from birth to 5 years, following them into adolescence.
• The study utilizes the established relationship between families, children, and primary care practitioners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the links between early life exposures and later health problems such as obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and developmental issues.
• To optimize growth and developmental trajectories in early childhood through preventive interventions.
• To enhance the overall health of Canadian children.

Main Methods:

• An open, longitudinal cohort study design enrolling healthy children aged 0-5 years.
• Data collection includes demographics, physical measurements, lifestyle factors (nutrition, screen time, physical activity), behavior, developmental screening, and blood samples.
• Data are collected biannually until age 2, then annually until age 10 during well-child visits.

Main Results:

• Currently, 5062 children are enrolled in the TARGet Kids! cohort.
• Collected data provide insights into cardiometabolic health, iron and vitamin D status, and trace metal levels.
• The study is establishing a comprehensive dataset for analyzing early life influences on child health outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The TARGet Kids! cohort is a valuable resource for understanding early life determinants of child health.
• Findings will inform evidence-based preventive strategies to improve pediatric health trajectories.
• This research network uniquely integrates child health research within primary care settings.