MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD)

Aims
The MRC National Survey of Health and Development is the oldest and longest running continually-studied British birth cohort study, having followed a sample of 5,362 men and women born in England, Scotland and Wales since their birth in one week in March, 1946. During their childhood, the main aim of the NSHD was to investigate how the environment at home and at school affected physical and mental development and educational attainment. During adulthood, the main aim was to investigate how childhood health and development and lifetime social circumstances affected their adult health and function and how these change with age. Today, with study members in their seventies, the NSHD offers a unique opportunity to explore the long-term biological and social processes of ageing and how ageing is affected by factors acting across the whole of life.

Institution
MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, University College London

Geographic coverage - Nations
England, Scotland, Wales

Geographic coverage - Regions
Nationwide

Start date
1946

Catalogue record last updated
10/04/2024

Sample type
Ageing cohort

Sample details
From an initial maternity survey of 13,687 of all births recorded in England, Scotland and Wales during one week of March, 1946, a class stratified sample of 5,362 singleton babies born to married parents was selected for follow-up. The sample was distributed geographically in proportion to the national population. The study population has not been augmented in any way and now aims to be as far as possible representative of single, native born individuals born to married mothers who are still resident in England, Wales, or Scotland; it cannot therefore be representative of immigrants.

Sample size at recruitment
5,362

Sample size at most recent sweep
2,648 (2016 - 2014-16 Follow-Up)

Sex
All

Age at recruitment
Birth

Cohort year of birth
1946