Bt30: Growth and body composition across the lifecourse

Description

The Birth to Thirty (Bt30) study in Soweto is Africa’s largest and longest-running birth cohort study. It is colloquially nicknamed as “Mandela’s Children” given that the study started with children born just after Nelson Mandela was released from prison. The study intends to keep working with and tracking these families whose lives span South Africa’s democratic transition. The study’s first data collection round in 1989/1990 asked the still-pregnant mothers about the conditions of their pregnancy. Data was collected at birth and six months and on a yearly basis from the families, an enormous feat over 32-plus years.

This seminar was the first in a series of seven, sharing the research findings and lessons from this remarkable cohort study.

Maternal and child health and nutrition play crucial roles in child development. This webinar showcased the extraordinary findings from the Bt30 cohort, which has helped researchers understand physical growth, body composition, maturation, and the many factors that contribute to these biological processes.

Speakers: