TWO major childhood research studies in Bradford are celebrating milestones this week.

 

Born in Bradford (BiB), the UK’s largest study into the health of babies, is ten – while its Better Start partner project is marking its first anniversary.

 

Yesterday, BiB researchers, parents and children met up for a special party at the city’s Kirkgate shopping centre to celebrate.

 

The BiB study, which has involved 13,500 children across the city, has helped researchers to show the impact of air pollution on children’s health, discovered vital clues about how diet contributes to better health and developed innovative new treatments for sick youngsters.

 

Director of the programme Dr Rosie McEachan said: “It is an important milestone for us as we embark on our next big project ‘BiB growing up’ which will see us revisiting all our families over the next two years to find out how our families’ lives have changed since the birth of our BiB babies.”

 

Over the next two years BiB’s big blue bus – currently stationed at St Luke’s Hospital – will take researchers out and about to catch up with thousands of the project’s families.

 

Over the Easter holidays from 10am to 3pm each day, BiB research teams will also be manning a pop-up shop at the Kirkgate centre to talk to people about the study’s findings so far. There will also be play and educational activities.

 

Prof John Wright said: “Even after ten years we are in the early stages of the research programme. In our new Growing Up phase of the research we are going to be seeing every child and their parents to monitor their physical and mental health. We will use this knowledge to develop better treatments and support to improve the health of the city.”

 

Born in Bradford’s Better Start (BiBBS) project is celebrating signing up more than 1,000 people in its first year.

 

The programme works with families in the Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton areas. It plans to recruit 5,000 pregnant women and their partners over five years to see if Better Start initiatives are making a difference.

 

It hosted a first birthday party at St Stephen’s Hall, Bradford.