Diet in childhood and adult cardiovascular and all cause mortality: the Boyd Orr cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between childhood diet and cardiovascular mortality.


METHODS
Historical cohort study.


METHODS
16 centres in England and Scotland.


METHODS
4028 people (from 1234 families) who took part in Boyd Orr's survey of family diet and health in Britain between 1937 and 1939 followed up through the National Health Service central register. EXPOSURES STUDIED: Childhood intake of fruit, vegetables, fish, oily fish, total fat, saturated fat, carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E estimated from household dietary intake.


METHODS
Deaths from all causes and deaths attributed to coronary heart disease and stroke.


RESULTS
Higher childhood intake of vegetables was associated with lower risk of stroke. After controlling for age, sex, energy intake, and a range of socioeconomic and other confounders the rate ratio between the highest and lowest quartiles of intake was 0.40 (95% confidence interval 0.19 to 0.83, p for trend 0.01). Higher intake of fish was associated with higher risk of stroke. The fully adjusted rate ratio between the highest and lowest quartile of fish intake was 2.01 (95% confidence interval 1.09 to 3.69, p for trend 0.01). Intake of any of the foods and constituents considered was not associated with coronary mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Aspects of childhood diet, but not antioxidant intake, may affect adult cardiovascular risk.
Ness
A R
AR
Unit of Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. andy.ness@bris.ac.uk
Maynard
M
M
Frankel
S
S
Smith
G Davey
GD
Frobisher
C
C
Leary
S D
SD
Emmett
P M
PM
Gunnell
D
D
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014675:Vegetables
D000975:Antioxidants