News

Children of the 90s researcher recognised for excellence in medical sciences

10 May 2012

Professor Debbie Lawlor who runs the Focus on Mothers study at Children of the 90s has been recognised for her outstanding contributions to the advancement of medical science by election to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Link between red-hair gene and rare birthmarks discovered

10 May 2012

New research using data from Children of the 90s has identified that the gene that causes red hair (MC1R) is more common in children with congenital melanocytic naevi (CMN), a rare form of birthmark.

Early blood-pressure monitoring might identify women at risk of preeclampsia

23 April 2012

New research from Children of the 90s indicates that the rate at which blood pressure changes during pregnancy is different for women with normal pregnancies and those who develop blood pressure problems.

Vitamin D not linked to educational achievement

19 April 2012

High levels of vitamin D do not seem to affect teenagers’ academic performance, according to new research from Children of the 90s.

Diet or DNA: are we fated to be fat?

14 March 2012

Marks on the genetic ‘code’ that babies have at birth are different for children who go on to be obese or overweight compared to those who do not, new research from Children of the 90s and Newcastle University has found.

Owning a dog encourages pregnant women to exercise

15 February 2012

A study of more than 11,000 women in Children of the 90s shows that those who owned dogs when pregnant were approximately 50 per cent more likely than those who didn’t to achieve the recommended 30 minutes of exercise a day through high levels of brisk walking.

Children as young as nine at risk of depression due to vitamin D deficiency

19 January 2012

New research from Children of the 90s, shows that the link between low levels of vitamin D and depression is established in childhood and that ensuring children have a good intake of vitamin D could help reduce depression in adolescence and adulthood. The link between depression and vitamin D (which we get from exposure to sunlight and from certain foods, like oily fish and fortified breakfast cereals) has already been established in adults but this is the first study to look at the vitamin’s effect in children.

Children of the 90s founder, Professor Jean Golding, named in New Year honours list

31 December 2011

Professor Jean Golding has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year honours list, on the eve of the 21st birthday of Children of 90s (also known as ALSPAC), the world-famous population study she founded in Bristol in 1991.

Three new eczema genes discovered

25 December 2011

Researchers from Children of the 90s at the University of Bristol, in collaboration with 22 other studies from across the world, have discovered three new genetic variants associated with the skin condition eczema, a chronic inflammatory disease that afflicts millions of patients around the world.

Babies born 32-36 weeks fare less well at school

8 December 2011

Only 71 per cent of babies born between 32 and 36 weeks are successful in key stage 1 (KS1) tests (defined as achieving at least level 2 in reading, writing and maths), compared to 79 per cent of babies born at full term (37-41 weeks), according to new research from Children of the 90s.