Toxic exposures in early life, growth, and development: An exposome study in Nepal
Through a close collaboration between academic and non-academic institutions in Nepal and Norway, we will address relevant and current environmental exposures that can affect child health, growth and development. The proposed study addresses several of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and is directly relevant to SDG3 ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all.
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The objectives are to identify current exposures to environmental pollutants during pregnancy and infancy and use the exposome concept to investigate the consequences of such exposures for child health and development.
We will use an ongoing pregnancy cohort with 800 mother-infant pairs in the Bhaktapur district in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal. We will also consolidate and expand collaboration between academic and non-academic institutions in Norway and Nepal to establish sustainable infrastructure to address other research questions related to environmental pollutants, including emerging concerns in the future.
This project is a collaboration between 3 Norwegian institutions (the University of Bergen, the University Hospital of North Norway, and the Innlandet Hospital Trust) and 3 Nepalese Institutions (Tribhuvan University, Siddhi Memorial Foundation, and LEADERS Nepal).