The childhood determinants of adult health study: a profile of a cohort study to examine the childhood influences on adult cardiovascular health

Abstract

We usually think of cardiovascular disease as a disease of the elderly; however, evidence suggests that it may have its origins in childhood. To determine whether interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease should begin in childhood we need good quality data on how biological and behavioural cardiovascular risk factors in childhood are related to cardiovascular health in adulthood. The Childhood Determinants of Adult Health (CDAH) study is one of few studies in the world with such data. CDAH comprises a cohort of young adults who originally participated in the Australian Schools Health and Fitness Survey in 1985 when they were aged 7 to 15 years. In this paper we present the history of this study, detail the methods used at baseline and at the first follow-up, and give an overview of some key findings that relate to cardiovascular health in young adults.