The LIFE Child study: A cohort study investigating child development in changing environmental conditions

The LIFE Child study investigates healthy child development from pregnancy to young adulthood and the development of lifestyle diseases. Since study initiation in 2011, 1068 pregnant women and 4658 children have been included in the study. Children are recruited until the age of 16 years. Follow-up visits take place once per year. Assessments include physical examinations, interviews, questionnaires, standardized tests, and biological samples including genetic analysis. We found significant associations between socio-economic status and health behaviour, between the weight of mothers and their children and between excessive media use and psychological complaints. Further projects dealt with the creation of references curves and the evaluation of new research methods. The study provides important insights into the interplay between the living environment, behaviour and child health.