Christchurch Health and Development Study

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The Christchurch Health and Development Study is an ongoing long-term observational study of human health, based on study of a group of individuals born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the 1970s. It has spawned over 500 papers[1] and many other experiments.

Overview[edit]

From April to August 1977, health researchers from the University of Otago, Christchurch, sought to enroll newborns as study participants. Ultimately, 1,265 children in Christchurch, representing over 97% of the births during the intake period, were enrolled in the study and followed into their 40s.[2] A wide variety of data was collected regarding family, personal and social circumstances over the time period.[2] Initial data were conducted at birth, four months, one year, every year to the age of 16, again at the age of 18 and at 21.[3]

By 2001, the study had produced results regarding unemployment, crime, substance abuse, breastfeeding, adolescent pregnancy, adoption, and other topics.[4] For example, the study found a strong correlation between duration of breastfeeding and academic outcomes in high school, building on previous research showing a change in IQ alone.[3]

The study also collected over 900 baby teeth to evaluate the impact of lead on behavioral and cognitive outcomes.[3]

A 40-year followup was conducted in 2019.[1]

Recent findings[edit]

  • A 2009 study supported single-sex education.[5]
  • A 2018 analysis found that teen drinkers were far more likely to suffer from alcoholism as adults.[6]
  • A research result found that "smacking" children was ineffective as punishment.[7]
  • A 2018 result showed that children in the study period had a four-fold higher risk of obesity than their parents, suggesting that generational changes in diet and exercise have impacted obesity.[8]
  • A 2020 analysis found that over 28% of New Zealanders had tried meth at some point in their life.[9]
  • A 2020 paper evaluated the impact of marijuana use, as well as the age of first use, on mental health, depression, and psychiatric illness.[2]
  • A 2021 paper reported, based on data from the Christchurch Study, that "positive parenting" led to reduced alcoholism in adulthood.[10]
  • A 2021 research project was begun to study "quake brain": a theory of cognitive and mental decline following the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b University of Otago, Christchurch. "Christchurch Health and Development Study". www.otago.ac.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  2. ^ a b c Boden, Joseph (2020-06-10). "What 40 years following thousands of NZ people tells us about cannabis harm". The Spinoff. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  3. ^ a b c "THE DEVELOPMENT OF WELLBEING IN CHILDREN" (PDF).
  4. ^ Fergusson, D.; Horwood, J. (2001). "The Christchurch Health and Development Study: Review of Findings on Child and Adolescent Mental Health". The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 35 (3): 287–296. doi:10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00902.x. PMID 11437801. S2CID 35768651.
  5. ^ "Single-sex schools better, research shows". Stuff. 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  6. ^ "Teen regular drinkers more likely to battle alcohol as adults". medicalxpress.com. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  7. ^ "Smacking children doesn't work, researcher says, but new study suggests many Kiwi parents still for it". TVNZ. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  8. ^ "Kiwi kids have a 50/50 chance of ending up a fat adult - study". Stuff. 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  9. ^ "Study finds 28 percent of middle-aged kiwis have tried meth - and reveals the drug's links with violence". RNZ. 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  10. ^ "'Positive parenting' can buffer against alcoholism in adulthood". New Zealand Doctor. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  11. ^ "New research to study ongoing 'quake brain' impact on Cantabrians". Stuff. 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2021-07-14.

See also[edit]

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