How can we keep families healthy and happy? This is the question that the Born in Bradford Study is now set to answer. By tracking the health and wellbeing of over 30,000 Bradfordians, this National Health Service (NHS) study aims to identify the underlying factors which shape the health and wellbeing of its citizens from even before they’re born. They are a people powered research study, and working closely with their citizens they explore everything from genetics, lifestyles, and behaviours right through to environmental determinants of health such as green space and air quality.

This innovative approach constitutes one of the world’s largest multi-ethnic birth cohort study, and a unique opportunity to explore the environmental and socio-economic factors underlying illness, inequality and social exclusion. Key findings from Born in Bradford include demonstrating links between air pollution and babies birthweight; the impact of green space on maternal and child mental health, disparities in the identification and treatment of common mental disorders in links between parental mental health and child mental health, links between acrylamide and babies health, links between maternal obesity and child obesity, and variations in availability of healthy environments in deprived areas.

The Born in Bradford project is unique in its holistic approach, looking into economic, genetic, ethnic, geographical and even urban development factors that come at play into shaping the future of every child.

Its findings to date are already helping local initiatives such as the City of Bradford’s Bradford for Everyone programme to target its efforts towards a more inclusive and cohesive society were everyone can be the best possible version of themselves, as laid out in its Stronger Communities Together 2018-2023 Strategy.