The University of Washington has been chosen to be the local study center in King County for the national Children's Health Study. The study will follow approximately 100,000 children from before birth until age 21 to determine what factors affect a child's health and development.

"We're really excited to be chosen, and we're really looking forward to working with Seattle Public Health, Seattle King County and also with various communities," said Shirley Beresford, professor of epidemiology at UW and co-director of the new center.

As a result of Congress passing the Children's Act of 2000, 2,500 scientists and professionals worked together to create this study.

"It's been in the works for awhile," Beresford noted.

The University of Washington, along with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle/King County Public Health Department, was one of 21 new study centers chosen in September of 2007.

Up to $26 million is expected to be granted to the King County local center to fund the study. The plan is to collect a sample size of about 1,000 volunteers from various study areas throughout the nation over a period of four years.

Pregnant women as well as women of childbearing age can be considered for participation. All participants are volunteers and may end their participation if they choose so at any time.

"The theme of the study is growing up healthy ... the goal is to examine what factors define normal physical health development and to pinpoint harmful preventable environmental factors," Beresford said.

From before birth to adulthood, scientists will study how a child's genes interact with their biological, psychosocial and environmental settings such as air, diet, parental care, safety and health care. These studies may explain childhood health problems including obesity, asthma, learning disabilities and diabetes.

"[The study] is really important because it's the first of its kind to look longitudinally at children from before they are born to when they turn 21," Beresford said.

Beginning at the first trimester of pregnancy or earlier, each family participating will submit to no fewer than 15 in-person visits by the research team. At each of these visits, environmental samples will be taken and assessed by the researchers. Other forms of data collection will be online and written questionnaires.

The main focus of the study plan is the earliest stages of development in a child, so the first five years of the child's life is crucial and will be monitored closely by the study team.

[Reach reporter Andrew Doughman at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]