Analyzing factors affecting children's health outcomes using big data and real-world data

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23195
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Matsumoto Naomi 岡山大学, 医歯薬学域, 助教 (90882861)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 疫学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using the 21st Century Birth Cohort Study and electronic medical record databases, we investigated (1) the trajectory of BMI and height from infancy to adolescence based on BMI status at age 15, (2) the relationship between dental caries and influenza infection, and (3) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the onset of chronic diseases in children.
For (1), we depicted the process leading to adolescent obesity using mixed-effects models, providing meaningful insights for pediatric obesity prevention. In (2), we suggested a link between dental caries and influenza infection, highlighting the importance of treating dental caries. For (3), we analyzed the association between the decrease in other respiratory infections during the COVID-19 pandemic and the reduced incidence of childhood asthma, as well as the impact of school closures on the onset of mental disorders in adolescents by age and gender. All findings were published in international journals.

Free Research Field

疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

21世紀出生児縦断調査研究から、齲歯は免疫機能低下の一因となり得ること、早期の肥満傾向は思春期前から存在することや肥満の子ども達は第二次性徴の発来時期が早まることが示され、小児期からの介入の重要性が示唆された。
また、COVID-19パンデミック期の電子カルテデータを用いた解析から、休校により小児喘息発症リスクが低下した一方、精神疾患発症リスクが上昇したことを明らかにした。小児の健康管理において、感染症と精神面の両側面から包括的にアプローチする必要性を示すとともに、効果的な小児保健施策の立案に向けた重要なエビデンスを提供した。