Pilot study into childhood development

Two regions of France have been chosen to start a pilot study into childhood development and 20,000 children are to be studied in Burgundy and Picardy.

'Elfe pour enquete longitudinale française depuis enfance' is the name of the survey which will follow children from the mother's pregnancy through to adulthood when their development will be analysed.

It is the first opportunity for the 60 teams of researchers who are implementing the project to collate in France data relating to family, social, educational, behavioural, environmental, medical and nutritional factors surrounding children's growth.

The outcome of the project will not be known before 2010/2011 by the implicators of the study, INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques), INED (Institut national d'études démographiques), INSERM (l'institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) and INVS (l'institut de veille sanitaire.)

The first 300 children involved in the study will be recruited from 'maternelles' from the two regions in the next few weeks.

- by Coral Luke