The EDEN study is the first generalist cohort study conducted in France on the Early Pre- and Postnatal Determinants of Psychomotor Development and Health of the Child.
The objective of EDEN is to better understand the importance of early determinants on the health of individuals, in particular with regard to the environmental factors that influence it during childhood and then adult life. Indeed, in recent decades it has become increasingly clear that events occurring before birth or during the first months of life can have long-term health consequences, even if they do not affect immediate health. The best known example is the increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adulthood in people born at low birth weight.
The EDEN study is conducted under the aegis of several epidemiology laboratories of Inserm (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) and the University Hospital Centres of Poitiers and Nancy.
In total, 2,002 pregnant women were recruited at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy in two centres (maternity wards of the Nancy and Poitiers university hospitals). Recruitment began in February 2003 and ended in January 2006. Children born between May 2003 and July 2006 were followed for 5 years. New contacts were also made at 8 and 10-13 years. A new follow-up is planned at 15-18 years.
Among the many avenues explored in the EDEN study are
Between the time of recruitment and the child's 5thbirthday, the steps are divided between questionnaires and clinical examinations carried out in each centre.
The questionnaires filled in by the parents contain information about
the mother: diet before and during pregnancy, socio-economic situation,
lifestyle, medical questionnaire, oral health status, work stress morale.
the father: socio-economic status, lifestyle, medical questionnaire.
the child: growth, medical follow-up, environment, activities and games, behaviour, diet, allergies.
Visits to the centres allow measurements to be taken of :
Weight, height, skinfold thickness, blood pressure of the child at 1, 3 and 5 years.
Bone mineral density by ultrasound at 1, 3 and 5 years of age.
Respiratory capacity of the child at 5 years.
Fat mass measured by impedancemetry (mother and child).
All data are collected anonymously and are analysed as a whole and not individually.
