What are long-term studies and how have they affected me?

Scientists have launched a study to track the next generation of British babies.

Other long-term studies have led to significant scientific advances and far-reaching political initiatives.

The Generation New Era study will track 30,000 babies born in 2026 from around the UK.

It is the latest in a rich line of long-term studies tracking various aspects of British lives.

A number of studies have been launched over the past 80 years.

These include the 1958 National Child Development Study, 1970 British Cohort Study and Millennium Cohort Study, as well as the Children Of The 90s study.

Findings have led to various changes across society including:

– Smoking rates among pregnant women were reduced after studies found smoking among mothers-to-be was harming unborn children.

– Cot deaths were prevented thanks to data gathered on sleeping positions among babies.

– The Skills for Life initiative was launched in the early 2000s after one of the studies found poor levels of literacy and numeracy among adults compared to other developed nations.

– Evidence was gathered which led to the extension of parental leave.

– Work took place to improve mental health in children after the Millennium Cohort Study revealed in 2016 that one in four girls reported symptoms of depression at age 14.

Other findings have included the educational disadvantage faced by summer-born children and the long-term effects of childhood obesity.

The UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) said that the country has a “proud and rich tradition” of cohort studies.

Its own portfolio includes projects tracking generations born in 1946, 1958, 1970, 1989–90, 1990–91, and 2000–02.

UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) executive chairman Stian Westlake said: “The UK has a proud and rich tradition of genuinely world-leading longitudinal cohort research that has produced major policy improvements covering everything from saving the lives of the youngest and most vulnerable children to improving women’s pension rights and recognising the lifelong importance of literacy.

“I am excited to see what Generation New Era will discover about the lives of children born next year and how they differ across the UK.”

Generation New Era study co-directer Professor Alissa Goodman, from the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, told the PA news agency: “It’s such an important part of any nation’s data infrastructure.

“It’s something that the UK has excelled at for decades.

“The fact that we’re able to do this again and to inform policies across a whole raft of areas that matter for families and for babies is just absolutely thrilling.”

Study co-director Professor Pasco Fearon, from the University of Cambridge, told PA: “Fundamentally, it’s about making a difference.

“We will be enabling lots of really exciting scientific activity – a lot of it won’t be us, it’ll be teams all around the country who will really accelerate their research.

“We know that the Government, local policy makers, local government, charities, they all use this information so it enables their work to be more effective and meet the needs of the community.”