CHILDHOOD ENVIRONMENT, ADULT EXPERIENCES, AND LONGEVITY

Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington IN

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (applicant s abstract): Recent work in demography and epidemiology has emphasized the importance of early life experiences for mortality and longevity. This project will use population registers following individuals for as long as 90 years to examine the effects of community, household, and individual-level measures of food scarcity and disease exposure. A pilot study found strong associations between conditions in childhood, adult stature, and mortality at older ages. This project will expand the pilot to include a sample of rural and urban areas in a region experiencing rapid urbanization and industrialization. In addition to comparing mortality among these localities, migrants who experienced different epidemiological environments at different ages will be studied. This will help to identify the long-run effects of poor diet and exposure to disease in different stages of the life course.