Assessment of nutritional status, body composition, motor- and neurodevelopment in preterm and term children aged 3-5 years: an international, multicentre study

Preterm birth is associated with disease in later life, yet little research has explored the impact of environment, including nutrition in pre- and post-gestation on preterm pregnancies, and the development and health of children born preterm.

This PhD will form part of the INTERBIO-21st project, an extension of the original INTERGROWTH-21st project, and will focus on assessing the impact of nutrition on growth and development in pregnancies that experience either intrauterine growth restriction or other preterm birth syndromes, compared to healthy pregnancies. This will include:

• Systematic review of the literature
• Analysis of previously collected nutrition, anthropometric and motor- and neurodevelopment data on international and UK participants from the early phases of the INTERGROWTH/ BIO21st projects
• Leading on the current INTERPRACTICE-21st project including significant primary data collection of ultrasound, Food Frequency Questionnaire, and neurodevelopment data, in children 3-5 years.

There is an additional requirement to undertake up to 6 hours undergraduate teaching/week during semesters and to participate in a teaching skills course without further remuneration.

Director of Studies: Dr Shelly Coe
Other Supervisors: Dr Jonathan Tammam, Dr Thanasis Tektonidis
Advisors from the University of Oxford: Professor Jose Villar and Dr Adele Winsey
Contact: scoe@brookes.ac.uk

The Oxford Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Research (OxINMAHR) forms part of the Department of Sport, Health Sciences and Social Work.