Methodological description and preliminary results of a cohort study on the influence of the first 1,000 days of life on the children’s future health

Abstract

The aim of this report is to describe general and methodological characteristics of a cohort study in southern Brazil (Coorte Brasil Sul), aimed at understanding the impact of the first 1,000 days of life on children's health. It is a cohort study involving all children born in 2009 and their families living in the municipality of Palhoça, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Face-to-face interviews with parents at home using a structured questionnaire and children's physical and clinical examinations at schools have been carried out. Crosssectional analyzes, longitudinal comparisons and hierarquical regression analysis will allow understanding if the first 1,000 days of life can influence on 6-year-old children's health. The Coorte Brasil Sul is in its retrospective phase together with the children's physical data collection. Preliminary data (n=1270) related to nutritional status point to a high prevalence of overweight (16.4%) and obesity (15.5%). With the continuity of the study, it is expected to evaluate if the first phases of life can influence health during adolescence and in adult life, mainly in relation to chronic diseases.

Nutritional and non-nutritional habits and occurrence of malocclusions in the mixed dentition

“…Families were invited to participate in the study by a letter containing the purpose of the study sent through the schools. Local radio stations, newspapers and other available media were used to disseminate information and call for participation (Traebert et al 2018).…”

“…The research team underwent a training process with 30 hours/activities. The training focused on data collection strategies in epidemiological studies emphasizing the interview processes in order to minimize possible measurement biases (Traebert et al 2018). Variables included in the interviews were number of mothers' and fathers' finished years of schooling (after categorized in less than 8 years and over 8 years, indicating at least incomplete or complete elementary school); mothers' and fathers' occupation (employed or unemployed); marital status (with or without steady partner); if child had attended day care in the first two years of life (yes or no); if exclusive breastfeeding had been interrupted before the 4 th or the 6 th month (yes or no); if child had used nursing bottle or pacifier at any time (yes or no); child digital suction at any time (yes or no); child mouth breathing at any time (yes or no).…”

“…Variables included in the interviews were number of mothers' and fathers' finished years of schooling (after categorized in less than 8 years and over 8 years, indicating at least incomplete or complete elementary school); mothers' and fathers' occupation (employed or unemployed); marital status (with or without steady partner); if child had attended day care in the first two years of life (yes or no); if exclusive breastfeeding had been interrupted before the 4 th or the 6 th month (yes or no); if child had used nursing bottle or pacifier at any time (yes or no); child digital suction at any time (yes or no); child mouth breathing at any time (yes or no). The questionnaire used in the interview was developed by a committee composed of 3 PhD professors and 5 doctoral students from the Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences of Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (Traebert et al 2018).…”

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Dental Trauma in Six-Year-Old School-Children

“…A cross-sectional study was carried out nested in the study named Coorte Brasil Sul [14], conducted by the Post-Graduate Program in Health Sciences at the Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina. A total of 1,102 children who had oral health data composed the sample, out of a total of 1,270 students being followed up [14].…”

Prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade em escolares de 10 anos de idade em um município do sul do Brasil

“…Trata-se de estudo transversal aninhado à Coorte Brasil Sul (Traebert, et al, 2018), um estudo longitudinal realizado em Palhoça, município da região metropolitana da Grande Florianópolis.…”