Rationale and study design of the Japan environment and children’s study (JECS)

Abstract

BackgroundThere is global concern over significant threats from a wide variety of environmental hazards to which children face. Large-scale and long-term birth cohort studies are needed for better environmental management based on sound science. The primary objective of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), a nation-wide birth cohort study that started its recruitment in January 2011, is to elucidate environmental factors that affect children’s health and development.Methods/DesignApproximately 100,000 expecting mothers who live in designated study areas will be recruited over a 3-year period from January 2011. Participating children will be followed until they reach 13 years of age. Exposure to environmental factors will be assessed by chemical analyses of bio-specimens (blood, cord blood, urine, breast milk, and hair), household environment measurements, and computational simulations using monitoring data (e.g. ambient air quality monitoring) as well as questionnaires. JECS’ priority outcomes include reproduction/pregnancy complications, congenital anomalies, neuropsychiatric disorders, immune system disorders, and metabolic/endocrine system disorders. Genetic factors, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors will also be examined as covariates and potential confounders. To maximize representativeness, we adopted provider-mediated community-based recruitment.DiscussionThrough JECS, chemical substances to which children are exposed during the fetal stage or early childhood will be identified. The JECS results will be translated to better risk assessment and management to provide healthy environment for next generations.

Useful biomarkers for assessing the adverse health effects of PCBs in allergic children: pediatric molecular epidemiology

“…Positive (egg and/or milk and/or wheat) levels of 10 PCB homologs in maternal and fetal blood samples collected from a small cohort of normotensive pregnant women (N = 22) who participated in the Japan environment and children's study pilot study using gas chromatography mass spectrometry [40]. The subjects' serum PCB levels were compared with their placental Fig.…”

Effects of Chlorella Supplementation on Decreasing Concentrations of Dioxins in the Blood of Pregnant Japanese Women

“…However, in the past decade, there has been little decline of dioxin concentrations in blood and breast milk (survey of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, 2012). Several large studies are continuing to elucidate the environmental factors that affect children's health and development [30,31]. We must await the results of detailed long-term studies to thoroughly ascertain any causal relationship.…”

The Effect of Maternal Age at the First Childbirth on Gestational Age and Birth Weight: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)

“…In the present study, we used the data of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), which is a nationwide and government-funded birth cohort study 9 that was started in January 2011 to investigate the effects of environmental factors on children's health. The eligibility criteria for JECS participants (expecting mothers) were as follows: (1) residing in the study areas at the time of recruitment and expected to reside continually in Japan for the foreseeable future, (2) the expected delivery date should be between August 1, 2011 and mid-2014, and (3) capable of participating in the study without difficulty (ie, they must be able to comprehend the Japanese language and complete the selfadministered questionnaire).…”