Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación

INMA: Effects of the Environment on Childhood Health

The INMA project comprises cohort studies on the effects of the environment on pregnancy and childhood, and on childhood development and health. From 2002-2005 it was a Carlos III network of centres. The geographic areas of study in INMA are: Ribera d'Ebre, Menorca, Granada, Valencia, Sabadell, Asturias and Gipuzkoa.

The oldest cohorts recruited babies from 1997-1999 (Ribera d’Ebre and Menorca) and 2000-2002 (Granada). Now adolescence follow-up is being conducted with the same babies. Pregnant woman recruitment began in 2003. The de novo cohorts share the same study protocol that was drawn up from work groups in 2002. A total of about 3,700 children are still involved, and most common exposures (air, water, persistent pollutants and maternal occupation) are investigated. There is a biobank with biological samples from 3,700 mothers and children. It brings together researchers from a number of different fields and areas of administration, the university and clinical practice. The external panel for evaluating the ISCIII network of centres gave a score of excellent to the work performed.

www.proyectoinma.org

Why a strategic project?

The impact of the environment on childhood health is a strategic priority for the WHO and the European Union, through the CEHAPE (Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe) programme. The INMA project was a pioneer in Europe and from it a number of similar projects came up in other countries. It is an environment that fosters useful research projects for all the CIBER groups and may be the seed for future strategic projects.

What does it offer?

From 2002-2005, common cohort research protocols were developed and participants were recruited. As of today, pregnancy has been followed and newborns recruited in all the cohorts, so exploitation of the information could begin, while at the same time annual visits with the children continue. The INMA project provides the chance to:

  • Study environmental exposures and the internal dose of the most common pollutants during pregnancy and childhood.
  • Study the effect of said exposures on pre- and post-natal growth, mental development, allergies and asthma.
  • Study the intermediate and modifying effect of diet.
  • Study new effects such as obesity, metabolic syndrome or mental health.
  • Have considerably information about social and gender inequality available.
  • Be a base for technology and knowledge transfer between different groups.
  • Enhance the "INMA Project" network to carry out communication tasks with the population. The INMA project has worked hard on communication with participants and mass media, and on an information web site about environmental and childhood health. This web is frequently visited by the general population interested in topics relating to the environment and childhood health.

Participating CIBERESP Groups

  • CREAL - grupo Jordi Sunyer
  • CREAL - grupo Manolis Kogevinas
  • Centro Superior de Investigación en Salud Pública - grupo Ferran Ballester
  • Universidad de Alcalá - grupo Francisco Bolúmar
  • Centre de Regulació Genòmica - grupo Xavier Estivill
  • Hospital Universitario San Cecilio - grupo Nicolás Olea
  • Centro Nacional de Epidemiología - grupo Gonzalo López-Abente
  • Fundación Vasca de Innovación e Investigaciones Sanitarias - grupo Miren Dorronsoro
  • Universitat de Barcelona - grupo Carmen López Sabater
  • Universidad de Oviedo - grupo Adonina Tardón
  • Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva - grupo Andrés Moya
  • Universitat Pompeu Fabra - grupo Fernando Gª Benavides
  • Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública - grupo Antonio Daponte
  • Hospital Ramón y Cajal - grupo Fernando Baquero
  • Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas - grupo Eduard Rodríguez Farré
  • Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica - grupo Miquel Porta

Collaborating Entities

  • Ajuntament de Sabadell
  • Ayuntamiento de Azkoitia
  • Ayuntamiento de Azpeitia
  • Ayuntamiento de Beasain
  • Ayuntamiento de Legazpi
  • Ayuntamiento de Udala
  • Ayuntamiento de Zumárraga
  • Cajastur
  • CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública
  • Consejería de Salud, Junta de Andalucía
  • Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa
  • Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí
  • CSIC - Instituto de Diagnosis Ambiental y Estudios del Agua, departamento de Química Amibiental
  • Departamento de Medio Ambiente. Gobierno Vasco
  • Direcció Gral. de Salut Pública, Generalitat Valenciana
  • Escola Valenciana d'Estudis en Salut, Generalitat Valenciana
  • Fundació Caubet-CIMERA, Illes Balears
  • Fundació Roger Torné
  • Fundación Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo (CEAM)
  • Generalitat de Catalunya
  • Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa
  • Hospital San Agustín de Avilés
  • Hospital Universitari La Fe
  • Hospital Universitario San Cecilio
  • ib-salut, Àrea de Salut de Menorca
  • ICS - ABS de Sabadell
  • ICS - ABS de Flix
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III
  • Kutxa
  • Laboratorio Normativo de Salud Pública, Gobierno Vasco
  • Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
  • Ministerio de Sanidad y Política Social
  • Departamento de Sanidad, Gobierno Vasco
  • Subdirección de Salud Pública de Gipuzkoa, Gobierno Vasco
  • Unión Europea
  • Universidad de Granada
  • Universidad de Oviedo
  • Universidad del País Vasco
  • Universidad Miguel Hernández
  • Universidad Rey Juan Carlos I