From paediatrics to geriatrics: a life course perspective on the MRC National Survey of Health and Development

For over 40 years I have enjoyed working collaboratively on research projects to increase understanding of population health with the aim of ultimately improving quality of life. For almost 30 years I have been part of the study team responsible for the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD), the oldest of the British birth cohort studies; and for the last 10 years have had the privilege of being the NSHD director. Such a long-term study depends on a committed and scientifically productive study team which maintains study member engagement and attracts expert scientific collaborators. For the last 20 years, I have collaborated with Professor Yoav Ben-Shlomo and others to develop the field of life course epidemiology, the study of the long term effects of social and biological exposures and experiences across life on later life health. So at the outset, I acknowledge that this personal opinion piece which I was invited to submit has implicitly and explicitly been influenced by many colleagues. It also should be read in conjunction with an accompanying article in this issue on the recent 24th follow-up of the NSHD at the age of 70 years (Kuh et al., this issue) and a recent updated review of life course epidemiology.