In 2011, Michigan State University embarked on a national project to study the impact of the environment on the health of children from birth to age 21. The National Children’s Study was designed to be the largest such research of its kind. MSU was part of a statewide team which interviewed more than 100 pregnant women in Wayne County. They were in search of data that might determine their children’s long term health outcomes.However, the National Institutes of Health pulled the funding for the project. Now, the Michigan team is hoping to continue its work in a scaled down form.
Dr. Nigel Paneth, University Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics at Michigan State University, tells Current State that the concept is that if we start early enough in life to examine the environment, during pregnancy, we might get answers to solving pressing childhood health problems.
This segment is supported by Michigan State University's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. More news about the Great Lakes environment can be found at GreatLakesEcho.org and on Current State every Tuesday as part of our partnership.