CHILDHOOD INFLUENCES ON ADULT HEALTH - A REVIEW OF RESENT WORK FROM THE BRITISH 1946 NATIONAL BIRTH COHORT STUDY, THE MRC NATIONAL SURVEY OF HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Research in this study has shown that growth in utero and early-life d evelopment were associated with a range of adult outcomes, including b lood pressure, respiratory function and schizophrenia. It has also bee n shown that childhood social and educational factors are strongly ass ociated with adult mental and physical health and with adult health-re lated behaviour. It is suggested that the observed long-term effects o f early-life physical development do not represent an inevitable outco me of childhood development, but one which is mediated by the chain of social factors that also begins in early life. The conclusions emphas ise that since the social and economic circumstances that affect child health have changed greatly in recent years in some ways which are pa rticularly adverse, we need now to be aware of the implications of suc h change not only for the health of children today, but also for their health in adulthood.