Cohort Profile: The China Jintan Child Cohort Study

including negative behavioural outcomes.The Jintan Cohort Project was established in thesummer of 2004 to help address these concerns onlead exposure and other environmental and health-related issues. This population-based pre-schoolcohort study was initiated in 2004 and reflectscollaboration between American scientists from theUniversity of Pennsylvania and members of ShanghaiJiaotong University, Southeastern University, JintanHospital and Jintan Maternal Health Center. Thestudy will follow children into adolescence to investi-gate the influence of lead exposure and micronutrientdeficiency on their behaviour. Other biological and psy-chosocial risk factors such as sleep patterns, familyconflict and parenting affecting children’s cognitiveand behavioural outcomes are also examined.Theinitialfocus of thiscohort study was on theimpactof lead exposure and micronutrient deficiency on chil-dren’s cognitive and behaviour outcomes. Child devel-opment is complex and likely reflects the individual andcombined effects of neuro-toxicants, micronutrientsand the social environments.