The research, announced last week by science minister David Willets, is to be carried out by University College London on behalf of the Economic and Social Research Council and the Medical Research Council. It will track the growth, development, health, wellbeing and social circumstances of the children and families taking part.
Recruitment for the research will begin in 2012.
Mr Willets said, 'Birth cohort studies provide a unique insight into all the factors affecting people's lives and are central to our understanding of child development. They produce powerful evidence that informs Government policy on a wide range of issues, including social mobility, inequality, education and public health. This, is turn, has positive economic impacts through changes in the delivery of public services, earlier diagnosis of diseases and improvements in quality of life. This research will help us understand more about the needs of individuals than ever before, and ultimately strengthen the fabric of our society.'
The study aims to identify the factors that help children overcome social disadvantage and how eating and physical activity behaviours develop and influence growth, body composition and weight gain.
Professor Carol Dezateux, director of the MRC Centre of Epidemiology for Child Health at UCL and leader of the study, said, 'It is crucial we find out more about how biological and environmental influences combine to shape children's health, development and future life chances. We know that a child's first year of life can have a huge impact on future health and wellbeing, but need to understand more about how this happens and its relation to the diverse social circumstances of families in Britain.'
