LIFECOURSE EXPOSURE AND LATER DISEASE - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY BASED ON A SURVEY OF FAMILY DIET AND HEALTH IN PREWAR BRITAIN (1937-1939)

There is an increasing interest in the origins of adult disease in ear ly life. The elucidation of such explanations of current morbidity and mortality must depend upon the follow-up of previously established co horts. This paper describes the design of and background to such a fol low-up of one of the richest data sources for this type of research: S ir John Boyd Orr's survey of diet and health in pre-war Britain. 1,352 families from 16 centres in England and Scotland were surveyed; 3,762 children aged up to 19 years from these families were examined. Socio -economic information and detailed one week dietary diary records are available for all families. Detailed medical examinations (including a nthropometry) were undertaken on children in 14 of the centres. Most o f the information is cross-sectional although 1,322 children were exam ined on two or more occasions one year apart to assess the effects of dietary supplementation. Dietary records were retrieved for 1,343 (99. 3%) of the families. Medical examination records were found for 3,560 (94.6%) of the children who were examined in the survey and attempts h ave been made to trace 4,973 children who were either examined or whos e family participated in the dietary survey. The data demonstrate rela tionships between family food expenditure and height in childhood and housing conditions. Eighty-five per cent (4211/4973) of the children h ave been traced and flagged on the National Health Service Central Reg ister, Southport. The characteristics of those traced do not differ si gnificantly from those we have been unable to trace although untraced females were slightly heavier. To date 696 (16.5%) of the cohort have died. The cohort will be used to investigate the relationship between diet, nutritional status (height, weight, cristal height), health and social circumstances in childhood, and mortality and morbidity in adul thood.