Journal article

Study protocol: the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study (CATS)

Lisa K Mundy, Julian G Simmons, Nicholas B Allen, Russell M Viner, Jordana K Bayer, Timothy Olds, Jo Williams, Craig Olsson, Helena Romaniuk, Fiona Mensah, Susan M Sawyer, Louisa Degenhardt, Rosa Alati, Melissa Wake, Felice Jacka, George C Patton

BMC PEDIATRICS | BMC | Published : 2013

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Puberty is a multifaceted developmental process that begins in late-childhood with a cascade of endocrine changes that ultimately lead to sexual maturation and reproductive capability. The transition through puberty is marked by an increased risk for the onset of a range of health problems, particularly those related to the control of behaviour and emotion. Early onset puberty is associated with a greater risk of cancers of the reproductive tract and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have had methodological limitations and have tended to view puberty as a unitary process, with little distinction between adrenarche, gonadarche and linear growth. The Childhood to Adolescence..

View full abstract

Grants

Awarded by Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)


Funding Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all of the families, teachers, principals and schools who have participated in this study. This study has been funded by a Project Grant from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC; No. 1010018). Murdoch Childrens Research Institute research is supported by the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Program. We would like to thank all staff and volunteers involved in recruitment, data collection and data processing (Natasha Stoilov, Sally Brookes, Paulina Mech, Kate Templer, Alexandra Alipan, Rachel Ellis, Janet Tong, Jessica Synot, Stefanie Dimov, Sinead Rowan, Lisa Furlong, Isobel Stokes, Anne Balloch and Stephen Hearps).