Dr. David Gunnell
Dept of Social Medicine
University of Bristol
Bristol, UK
http://www.epi.bristol.ac.uk
http://www.epi.bris.ac.uk/boydorr/index.htm
Project title
Anthropometric markers of childhood nutrition and cancer: associations of height, leg length, foot size and shoulder breadth with cancer in the Boyd Orr cohort (2006/03)
Scientific Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that prenatal and childhood nutrition influence long-term cancer risk. The Boyd Orr cohort was the first study to demonstrate an association between increased childhood leg length, an indicator of pre-pubertal nutrition, and adult cancer mortality. However, these findings were based on too few cancers (n=110) to study site-specific associations. With further follow-up there are now 500 cases of fatal and non-fatal cancer in the cohort.
This study looks at the association of overall and site-specific cancer incidence with five markers of childhood nutrition (height, leg, trunk & foot length and shoulder breadth). Spurts in foot and leg length occur before peak height velocity (PHV) whereas peak growth in shoulder breadth occurs after PHV. Varying associations with these different measures may provide evidence concerning critical periods of exposure to growth modifying factors (e.g. diet) that influence cancer risk and so inform the timing of childhood dietary intervention to prevent cancer. Using stored DNA on 736 study members the study will investigate the associations of the anthropometric measures with functional polymorphisms of the IGF system to investigate whether variations in childhood IGF levels may contribute to the stature-cancer associations.
Project plain language abstract
Diet and nutrition before birth, during infancy and throughout childhood may all affect cancer risk. Few studies of risk factors for cancer in adulthood have good quality data on childhood diet. Thus, indirect markers of diet and nutrition in early life – such as height – provide useful insights into the influence of childhood nutrition on cancer. The Boyd Orr cohort, upon which this proposal is based, is a 65-year follow-up of 5000 children aged 0-19 who took part in a survey of diet and health. Ten years ago our analysis of the cohort provided the first evidence that taller children, particularly those with long legs (a marker for pre-pubertal nutrition), were at increased cancer risk. These analyses were based on only 110 cancer deaths. After a further 10 years follow-up there are an additional 400 fatal and non-fatal cancers. Furthermore we have entered new data on childhood foot and shoulder length and have DNA samples for 734 subjects. We now have sufficient statistical power to examine associations with specific cancer sites (e.g. breast / colorectal) and in relation to foot length and shoulder breadth as well as height, leg and trunk length. Varying associations with these different measures will provide evidence concerning critical periods of exposure to growth altering factors (such as diet) in childhood for influencing cancer risk. Using participants’ DNA we can assess whether genes for growth factors, some of which influence cancer risk, are associated with childhood growth, and so clarify whether growth factors underlie the links between childhood growth and cancer.
Institution and location |
Degree |
Year |
Scientific Field |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Bristol, UK | MB ChB | 1984 | Medicine |
| RCGP | MRCGP | 1989 | General Practice |
| FPH | FFPH | 1993 | Public Health |
| University of Bristol, UK | PhD | 1996 | Epidemiology |
| University of London, UK | MSc (distinction) | 1997 | Medical Statistics |
| 2003–present | Professor of Epidemiology, University of Bristol, UK |
| 1991–present | Public Health and Epidemiology: |
| 1996–2003 | Consultant Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine, Dept Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK |
| 1993–1996 | Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine, Dept Social Medicine, University of Bristol. Honorary Senior Registrar, Avon Health, UK |
| 1991–1993 | Registrar/Senior Registrar Public Health Medicine, Somerset Health Authority, UK |
Research interests
Lifecourse influences on the development of cancer risk and the IGF system. In particular the use of anthropometric ‘biomarkers’ e.g. height & leg length of nutritional exposures in childhood and infancy.
