The study from Amsterdam UMC is unique in its design, multi-ethnic composition, completeness and cost-effectiveness of data collection and analysis.
Goal
The main objective of the ABCD study is to identify and analyse factors in early life (during pregnancy and early childhood) that may explain later health and health inequalities.
The origins of major health problems among children (e.g. obesity and ADHD) and adults (e.g. cardiovascular diseases) often lie in the early years of life. Through questionnaires, blood tests and health measurements, the ABCD study investigates the extent to which children’s health is influenced by living conditions and lifestyle habits in those first years of life, i.e. during and after pregnancy. Ethnicity is an important factor in children’s health. However, it is still largely unclear why this is the case. Therefore, the ABCD study pays specific attention to explaining health differences between children of different ethnic origins.
Understanding the factors affecting child health is needed to better support pregnant women, to develop culture-specific prevention programmes, and ultimately to promote children’s health as early as possible and reduce ethnic inequalities.
Phases
The ABCD study is a long-term study that takes place in phases. Children are followed from the womb to young adulthood: their health and development is measured at a few timepoints during this period.
The following phases have been completed:
Phase 1, pregnancy (2003-2004)
Phase 2, birth and infancy (2004)
Phase 3, preschool (2008-2009)
Phase 4, pre-puberty (2015-2016)
Phase 5, early adolescence (2019-2020)
Phase 6, late adolescence (2021-2022)
Phase 6 was completed in December 2022. Phase 7 started in mid-2023
