Hokkaido birth cohort study on environment and children’s health: cohort profile 2021

Abstract

Background The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children’s Health is an ongoing study consisting of two birth cohorts of different population sizes: the Sapporo cohort and the Hokkaido cohort. Our primary objectives are to (1) examine the effects that low-level environmental chemical exposures have on birth outcomes, including birth defects and growth retardation; (2) follow the development of allergies, infectious diseases, and neurobehavioral developmental disorders, as well as perform a longitudinal observation of child development; (3) identify high-risk groups based on genetic susceptibility to environmental chemicals; and (4) identify the additive effects of various chemicals, including tobacco. Methods The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the progress of the Hokkaido Study, summarize recent results, and suggest future directions. In particular, this report provides the latest details from questionnaire surveys, face-to-face examinations, and a collection of biological specimens from children and measurements of their chemical exposures. Results The latest findings indicate different risk factors of parental characteristics on birth outcomes and the mediating effect between socioeconomic status and children that are small for the gestational age. Maternal serum folate was not associated with birth defects. Prenatal chemical exposure and smoking were associated with birth size and growth, as well as cord blood biomarkers, such as adiponectin, leptin, thyroid, and reproductive hormones. We also found significant associations between the chemical levels and neuro development, asthma, and allergies. Conclusions Chemical exposure to children can occur both before and after birth. Longer follow-up for children is crucial in birth cohort studies to reinforce the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis. In contrast, considering shifts in the exposure levels due to regulation is also essential, which may also change the association to health outcomes. This study found that individual susceptibility to adverse health effects depends on the genotype. Epigenome modification of DNA methylation was also discovered, indicating the necessity of examining molecular biology perspectives. International collaborations can add a new dimension to the current knowledge and provide novel discoveries in the future.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and neurobehavioral function and cognition in adolescents (2010–2011) and elderly people (2014): results from the Flanders Environment and Health Studies (FLEHS)

“…2)-are consistent with several published reports. In the Hokkaido Birth Cohort Study [58] PFOA, but not PFOS, adversely affected mental development in girls at 6 months of age. The association between maternal PFAS concentrations and early communication development in British girls at 15 and 38 months of age varied by maternal age at delivery.…”

“…PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA and PFBS were analyzed in 209 adults (50-65 years old) sampled between May 2014 and November 2014 (FLEHS-3 ADU). A stratified clustered multi-stage design was used to obtain a sample representative of the Flemish population taking into account population density, sex, socioeconomic status and age (in the selected age range [50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65]. Sampling took place in three steps: first by study area, secondly by entities, the primary sampling units (PSUs), for access to participants, and thirdly by random selection of participants in accordance with the inclusion criteria.…”

Gene-environment interactions related to maternal exposure to environmental and lifestyle-related chemicals during pregnancy and the resulting adverse fetal growth: a review

“…The Birth Cohort Consortium of Asia (BiCCA), which consists of over 30 birth cohorts in more than 15 Asian countries, was established in 2011 [ 120 ] through the cooperation of the Taiwan Birth Panel Study (TBPS) in Taiwan [ 121 ], the Mothers and Children’s Environmental Health Study (MOCEH) in Korea [ 122 ], and the Hokkaido Study in Japan [ 92 , 93 ]. A major feature of BiCCA is its focus on a variety of adverse health outcomes in pregnancy and after birth [ 117 ].…”

“…The Japan Birth Cohort Consortium (JBiCC) was established in 2019 by the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study (TMM BirThree Cohort Study) in Miyagi and Iwate [ 125 ], the Chiba Study of Mother and Children’s Health (C-MACH) in Chiba [ 126 ], the Child Health and Development Birth Cohort (Seiiku Boshi Cohort) of the National Center for Child Health and Development in Tokyo [ 127 ], the Hamamatsu Birth Cohort for Mothers and Children (HBC) Study in Shizuoka [ 128 ], the babies’ and their parents’ longitudinal observation in Suzuki Memorial Hospital on Intrauterine period (BOSHI) study in Miyagi [ 129 ], and the Hokkaido Study in Hokkaido [ 92 , 93 ]. The major features of the JBiCC are its focus on a variety of adverse health outcomes in Japanese children and its methods of validating the study results from a specific birth cohort using another birth cohort.…”

Hypertensive Disorders during Pregnancy and Anthropometric Measurement of Children up to 7 Years of Age: The Hokkaido Birth Cohort Study in Japan

“…The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health is a prospective birth cohort that was started in 2002; further information about this cohort can be found elsewhere [27][28][29]. From February 2003 to March 2012, the Hokkaido cohort included Japanese women recruited during early pregnancy (13 weeks of gestation), who visited the maternity unit in one of the 37 hospitals and clinics in the Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.…”