Understanding How Early Life Factors Affect Children's Health
Early Life Social, Environmental, and Nutritional Determinants of Disease (ELSEND)
This project explores how early life nutrition, environmental factors like air pollution, and social conditions in Latino children might influence their risk for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11138435 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on Latino children to understand how factors in their early lives, such as nutrition choices like formula feeding versus breastfeeding, early introduction of sugary drinks, and exposure to air pollution, can affect their long-term health. We are also considering broader social and environmental conditions that might worsen these effects. By looking at early signs of chronic disease risk in children around age five, we hope to find ways to prevent conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease later in life. This work builds on previous studies and uses information from existing groups of children who have been followed since birth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research focuses on Latino children, particularly those who have been followed since birth, to understand how early life experiences shape their health.
Not a fit: Patients who are not children, are not of Latino descent, or do not have risk factors for early-onset chronic diseases may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Successfully identifying these early risk factors could lead to new strategies for preventing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease in children, especially within the Latino community.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has identified individual risk factors in Latino children, but this project is unique in its comprehensive approach to examining multiple factors together.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- Children's Hospital of Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goran, Michael Isaac — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Goran, Michael Isaac
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.