Children of the 1950's study: Aberdeen birth cohort

The Children of the 1950s study is a population-based resource for the study of biological and social influences on health across the life-course and between generations.

Comprising individuals born in Aberdeen, Scotland between 1950 and 1956, this cohort is based on the 12,150 people who took part in the Aberdeen Child Development Survey, a cross-sectional study in a population of all children who were attending an Aberdeen primary school in December 1962. The data collected include information on birth weight, childhood height and weight, tests of cognition and behavioural disorder, and a range of multi-level socio-economic indicators.

We have been successful in ascertaining the current vital status and whereabouts of 98.5% of the 12,150 subjects (6276 males, 5874 females) with full baseline data. The large majority (81%) of study participants still reside in Scotland and the majority (73%) have remained in the Grampian region which incorporates Aberdeen.

Linkages to hospital admissions and other health endpoints captured through the routine Scottish Morbidity Records system have been completed. A postal questionnaire to all surviving cohort members has also been distributed, with a response proportion of 63%.