IJE Advance Access published online on June 25, 2007
International Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/ije/dym126
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Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association © The Author 2007; all rights reserved.
Cohort Profile: the Dutch Hunger Winter Families Study
1 Department of Epidemiology Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York NY 10032, USA (LHL, ESS).
2 Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30322, USA (ADS).
3 Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30341, USA (HSK).
4 TNO Quality of Life, Leiden, The Netherlands (KMvdP).
5 Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands (GJB).
6 Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA (PAZ).
7 New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, (ESS).
* Corresponding author. Columbia University, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th St, New York, NY 10032, USA. E-mail: lumey@columbia.edu
Accepted 14 May 2007
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How did the study come about? |
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Historical setting
The winter of 1944–45 is known as the ‘Hunger Winter’ in The Netherlands, which was occupied by the Germans in May 1940. Beginning in September 1944, Allied troops had liberated most of the South of the country, but their advance towards the North came to a stop at the Waal and Rhine rivers and the battle of Arnhem. In support of the Allied war effort, the Dutch government in exile in London called for a national railway strike to hinder German military initiatives. In retaliation, in October 1944, the German authorities blocked all food supplies to the occupied West of the country.
Despite the war, nutrition in The Netherlands had generally been adequate up to October 1944.1 Thereafter, food supplies became increasingly scarce. By November 26, 1944, official rations, which eventually consisted of little more than bread and potatoes, had fallen below 1000 kcal per day, and by April 1945,
Previous follow-up studies of people with prenatal famine exposure
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Who set it up, and how is it funded? |
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What does the study cover? |
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Who is in the sample? |
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How often have they been followed up? |
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What has been measured? |
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Birth records
Telephone Interview
Clinical examinations
Defining exposure to the famine
Exposure by date of last menstrual period
Exposure by date of birth
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What is attrition like? |
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Tracing from birth to current address
Response to the letter of invitation
Study subjects enrolled for interview and medical examination
Selected characteristics of traced and untraced offspring
Selected characteristics of respondents and non-respondents to letter
Selected characteristics at birth of study participants and non-participants from the eligible birth cohort
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What has it found so far? |
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Strengths and weaknesses |
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Exposure
Study population
Sibling controls
Intermediary variables over the life course
Study outcomes
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Can I get hold of the data? Where can I find out more about the study? |
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