MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit Cyrus Cooper, Director MRC LEU; Southampton 2013

MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit Musculoskeletal ageing Nutrition, development, and lifelong health Work and Health Lifecourse epidemiology Scientific Mission To delineate: The environmental causes throughout the lifecourse of  chronic musculoskeletal disorders  obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease Population-based and high-risk preventive strategies against these disorders Mission Programmes Research focus Mission Programmes Research focus InterventionMechanisms Aetiology Child Fetus & Infant Adult   

Lifecourse determinants of health and disease MECHANISMS BEHAVIOURS Developmental plastic responses Epigenetic processes Childhood body composition and development Infant feeding and illnesses Infant body composition & development Weight gain and catch-up growth Young women’s diet, body composition, physical activity, education and lifestyle before and during pregnancy Childhood diet, physical activity, lifestyle and education Vulnerability to chronic disease in later life Work, lifestyle and health behaviours in adulthood Retirement and ageing Gluckman, Hanson, Cooper et al New Engl J Med 2008; 359: Harvey N, Cooper C BMJ 2012; 345: e4695

Chronic NCD risk Plasticity Life course No intervention Mother & infant Earlier intervention improves functional capacity & responses to new challenges Inadequate response to new challenges Childhood Adulthood Early intervention Late intervention Late intervention impactful for vulnerable groups Lifecourse strategy for disease prevention Gluckman, Hanson, Cooper et al New Engl J Med 2008; 359: Hanson M, Godfrey K et al Prog Biophys Molec Biol 2011; 106:

Scientific Programmes Lifecourse determinants of bone and joint disease Sarcopenia, physical frailty and clinical care in older people Nutrition, development and lifelong health (Developing/transitioning populations) Nutrition, development and lifelong health (Developed populations) Work and Health

Scientific achievements – Maternal vitamin D insufficiency and childhood bone mineral accrual – Developmental origins of sarcopenia and cognitive function – Maternal micronutrient status, birthweight and childhood adiposity – Self-efficacy and control as determinants of food choice among young women – Health beliefs, somatising tendency, physical exposures and musculoskeletal disability