Understanding Early Life Chemical Exposures and Child Development
Early Life Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Child Growth, Adiposity, and Neurodevelopment
This project continues to follow a large group of children to understand how early life exposure to certain chemicals and maternal nutrition might affect their growth, body fat, and brain development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11319127 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We are continuing to follow over 2,000 children in the ECHO ELEGANT group to learn more about how their environment affects their health. Our work focuses on two common and growing health concerns: childhood obesity and challenges with brain development, including autism. We are looking closely at how exposure to specific chemicals before birth, like certain PFAS and flame retardants, might influence a child's growth, body fat, and how their brain develops. We also want to understand how a mother's nutrition during pregnancy, such as diet quality and weight gain, might jointly impact these outcomes in her child.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project involves continued follow-up of children already enrolled in the ECHO ELEGANT cohort, focusing on those aged 0-11 years with data on early life exposures and developmental outcomes.
Not a fit: Patients not already part of the existing ECHO ELEGANT cohort would not directly benefit from participation in this specific follow-up project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent childhood obesity and neurodevelopmental challenges by informing precision interventions, practice recommendations, and public health policies.
How similar studies have performed: While some studies have looked at individual factors, this project is novel in clarifying the joint effects of multiple understudied endocrine disrupting compounds and maternal overnutrition factors on child health.
Where this research is happening
Oakland, UNITED STATES
- Kaiser Foundation Research Institute — Oakland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferrara, Assiamira — Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Ferrara, Assiamira
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.