The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is tracking three generations of the same families to understand how health and well-being unfold across a lifetime and between generations. This matters because most health studies only capture a snapshot of one generation at one point in time. ALSPAC fills a gap by following the same people from before birth through adulthood, and now into their own parenthood. This allows researchers to untangle how conditions like heart disease, cognitive decline, and mental health problems originate in childhood or even before birth, and how parents’ health influences their children’s health decades later. If the project succeeds, it will provide a uniquely detailed picture of the lifelong roots of common diseases. This could reshape how public health interventions are timed and targeted—for example, shifting prevention efforts to early life or even pre-conception. The resource also supports fundamental science on how era-specific factors, such as changes in diet or pollution, shape health across generations. The findings will quietly inform health policy, clinical guidelines, and future research infrastructure, even if they do not produce immediate bedside treatments.
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ALSPAC is a multi-generation (G0/G1/G2), prospective cohort based in the UK [1-4] (supplementary information, Figure 1). This proposal seeks support to: - Maintain the existing samples and data resources. - Enhance visibility and access to data and samples. - Maximise linkage opportunities through broad and innovative use of administrative records. - Expand the resource by maximising recruitment and retention, and collecting new data and samples on original parents (G0), index participants (G1) and the next generation (G2). Work will be delivered via an efficient operational and governance infrastructure. We will deploy a combination of face-to-face assessment, biosample collection and analysis, remote data collection and administrative record linkage where the value of this activity is substantially enhanced by existing resources. All proposed work has been designed according to the overarching principles of (i) scientific utility and (ii) engagement/recruitment/retention. Study activities draw on experience from previous ALSPAC activity and consultation with participants and academics through bespoke workshops. Scientific focus reflects ALSPAC strengths and our target science areas, namely: The antecedents of cardiometabolic/cognitive/mental health, cross-generation contributions to health and era specific contributions to health, well-being and society.
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