Research

The Geração 21 project is developed by the Faculdade de Medicina (FMUP) and the Instituto de Saúde Pública (ISPUP) da Universidade do Porto and is the first population-based birth cohort in Portugal. Besides the several specific objectives, Geração 21 focuses on the study of fetal and childhood determinants in the development of obesity and bodily composition.

Projects

EXALAR 21: The influence of exposure to urban air pollutants, green and blue spaces, and biodiversity on the development of allergic diseases and asthma in children (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030193)

01.06.2018 - 31.05.2021

Appetite and obesity: Regulação do apetite e obesidade infantil: uma abordagem para compreender as influências genéticas e comportamentais (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030334)

01.06.2018 - 31.05.2021

FOCAcCia: Exposure to food additives and contaminants from food processing and packaging: Defining patterns and their effects on adiposity and cognitive function from childhood to adolescence (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031949)

01.07.2018 - 30.06.2021

STEPACHE - The pediatric roots of amplified pain: from contextual influences to risk stratification (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029087)

16.07.2018 - 15.07.2021

HIneC “When do health inequalities start? Understanding the impact of childhood social adversity on health trajectories from birth to early adolescence (POCI-01-0145-FEDER—029567)

16.07.2018 - 15.07.2021

LIFEPATH - Lifecourse biological pathways underlying social differences in healthy ageing

01.04.2015 - 30.04.2019

BioAdversity – How social adversity in childhood influence health: the biology of social adversity

16.05.2016 - 16.05.2019

Cardiovascular risks factors for mothers and children 3 years after delivery

Geração XXI - follow-up at 4 years of age

01.04.2009 - 31.12.2011

Generation XXI – Nascer e crescer no início do Milénio

28.12.2004 - 30.06.2007

Early development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome

01.04.2010 - 30.09.2013

Eating habits in preschool children: a longitudinal approach to the identification of determinants and effects on body composition

01.04.2010 - 30.06.2013

Understanding the dynamics of childhood body fat - the mediating effect of dietary patterns and eating behaviors

01.05.2013 - 15.10.2015

Violence in various stages of life: frequency, determinants and consequences of health

06.05.2012 - 30.10.2015

PathMOB: Pathways from early life to cardiometabolic risk during childhood (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016837)

15.05.2016 - 15.05.2019

HabEat - Determining factors and critical periods in food habit formation and breaking in early childhood: a multidisciplinary approach

01.01.2010 - 31.12.2013

Publications

A meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies of ultra-processed food consumption with DNA methylation in European children.

Llauradó-Pont J, Stratakis N, Fiorito G, Handakas E, Neumann A, Barros H, Brantsæter AL, Chang K, Chatzi L, Felix JF, Grazuleviciene R, Jaddoe VWV, Karachaliou M, Lecorguillé M, Lopes C, Millett C, McEachan RRC, Papadopoulou E, Slama R, Vamos EP, Vineis P, Vrijheid M, Wright J, Voortman T, Bustamante M, Robinson O, Lassale C.

Clin Epigenetics. 2025 Jan 7;17(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s13148-024-01782-z. PMID: 39773758; PMCID: PMC11706074.

Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and the risk of childhood asthma by 10 years of age-Evidence from The Generation XXI birth cohort study.

de Castro Mendes F, Severo M, Paciência I, Lopes C, Santos AC, Barros H, Moreira A, Moreira P.

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2025 Jan;36(1):e70024. doi: 10.1111/pai.70024. PMID: 39784956.

Are the EAT-Lancet dietary recommendations associated with future cardiometabolic health? - Insights from the Generation XXI cohort from childhood into early adolescence

Teixeira B, Afonso C, Severo M, Oliveira A. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Dec;120(6):1344-1353. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.09.023. Epub 2024 Sep 27. PMID: 39343034.

Association between calcium intake from different food sources during childhood and cardiometabolic risk on adolescence: The Generation XXI birth cohort.

Silva S, Severo M, Lopes C.

Pediatr Obes. 2024 Oct;19(10):e13158. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.13158. Epub 2024 Aug 18. PMID: 39155440.

Sleep timing behaviour, sleep duration and adherence to obesogenic dietary patterns from pre-school to school age: results from the Portuguese birth cohort Generation XXI.

Vilela S, Vaz A, Oliveira A.

J Sleep Res. 2024 Oct;33(5):e14172. doi: 10.1111/jsr.14172. Epub 2024 Feb 20. PMID: 38375691.

The Interaction Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Socioeconomic Circumstances in Adolescent Depressive Symptomatology.

Abrahamyan A, Severo M, Soares S, Fraga S, Amorim M.

J Adolesc Health. 2024 Oct;75(4):591-599. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.05.029. Epub 2024 Jul 26. PMID: 39066752.

Patterns of ultra-processed foods consumption throughout childhood and trajectories of growth and adiposity.

Magalhães V, Severo M, Vilela S, Torres D, Lopes C.

Clin Nutr. 2024 Oct;43(10):2364-2371. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.08.032. Epub 2024 Aug 30. PMID: 39265297.

The trajectories of free sugar intake during childhood, their main sources and its association with socio-economic factors: generation XXI birth cohort.

Sosa S, Severo M, Marinho AR, Lopes C.

Br J Nutr. 2024 Sep 24:1-11. doi: 10.1017/S0007114524001740. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39314169.

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Psychosocial stress in pregnancy: determinants and consequences for mother and baby.

Fraga, S.; Soares, S.; Barros, H.

Proceedings of the Brazilian Congress of Epidemiology (ISSN: 2594-6293). Florianópolis, Brazil; Vol 1, 2017 – 76684; doi: 10.17648/epi-2017

Violence in childhood and its relationship with inflammation and DNA methylation processes

Soares, S.; Rocha, V.; Fraga, S.

Proceedings of the Brazilian Congress of Epidemiology (ISSN: 2594-6293). Florianópolis, Brazil; Vol 1, 2017 – 76685; doi: 10.17648/epi-2017

Socioeconomic status and C-Reactive protein in childhood.

Fraga, S.; Soares, S.; Santos, A.C.; Barros, H.

X Congresso Brasileiro de Epidemiologia; In: Anais do Congresso Brasileiro de Epidemiologia (ISSN: 2594-6293). Florianópolis, Brazil; Vol 1, 2017 – 74147; doi: 10.17648/epi-2017

Association of maternal exposure to violence with breasfeeding practices.

Rodrigues, C.; Soares, S.; Fraga, S.; Barros, H.

XXXVI Reunión Científica de la Sociedad Española de Epidemiología y XIII Congresso da Associação Portuguesa de Epidemiologia; In: Gaceta Sanitaria. Lisbon, Portugal; Vol 32 (Espec Cong); 7-140. 2018.

Prevalence of bullying involvement in 10 year-old children: a study in Geração XXI.

Soares, S.; Santos, A.C.; Barros, H.; Fraga, S.

Early socioeconomic circumstances and adverse childhood experiences in 10-year-old children.

Soares Peres, F.; Soares, S.; Barros, H.; Santos, A.C.; Fraga, S.

European Journal of Public Health, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_4, November 2019, ckz187.186, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz187.186

Early socioeconomic circumstances and cardiometabolic health in 10-year-old children.

Soares, S.; Santos, A.C.; Soares Peres, F.; Barros, H.; Fraga S.

European Journal of Public Health, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_4, November 2019, ckz187.185, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz187.185

Effect of problematic eating behaviors on the quality of food at 7 years of age.

Pinto A, Costa S, Lopes C, Oliveira A.

Acta Portuguesa de Nutrição (APN) 2016; 40-41.

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Inflammation grade, Parental Violence and Socioeconomic Position: The evidence from biological consequences of social adversity in childhood.

Soares, S.

Young Researchers Forum; 9^th European Public Health Conference; 9^th-12^th November 2016; Vienna, Austria )3^rd award in oral presentation at the Young Researchers Forum from ASPHER, 10^th November 2016)

Biologia da adversidade social: Como a adversidade na infância condiciona a saúde.

Fraga, S.; Soares, S.

Encontro Ciência’17; 3-5 July, 2017; Lisbon, Portugal

Association of maternal exposure to violence with breasfeeding practices.

Rodrigues, C.; Soares, S.; Fraga, S.; Barros, H.

XXXVI Reunión Científica de la Sociedad Española de Epidemiología y XIII Congresso da Associação Portuguesa de Epidemiologia; 12-14 September, 2018; Lisbon, Portugal

Social determinants and health inequalities.

Soares, S.; Fraga S.

Public Session of Clarification; 23^rd May 2017; ISPUP, Porto, Portugal

Involvement in fights, bullying and cyberbullying.

Soares, Sara.

World Mental Health Day; 10^th October 2018; Porto, Portugal

Violence on children in the family and at school.

Soares, Sara.

Family and Violence Seminar, organized by Associação Mulher Século XXI; 30^th November 2018; Escola Superior de Saúde de Leiria, Leiria, Portugal

Involvement in fights, bullying and cyberbullying.

Soares, Sara.

Week of affections; Awareness public presentation to students from public schools; 13^th February 2019; Agrupamento de Escolas Fontes Pereira de Melo, Porto, Portugal

Socio-demographic associates of children's perception of food insecurity in a Portuguese population-based birth cohort.

Maia I, Severo M, Santos AC.

ASPHER Young Researchers Forum. Lublijana, Slovenia (Nov, 2018).

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Consequences of stressful life events during pregnancy: a Generation XXI cohort study.

Fraga, S.; Soares, S.; Santos, A.C.; Barros, H.

21st International Epidemiological Association (IEA), World Congress of Epidemiology (WCE2017); 19th-22nd August 2017; Sonic City, Saitama, Japan

Psychosocial stress in pregnancy: determinants and consequences for mother and baby.

Fraga, S.; Soares, S.; Barros, H.

X Brazilian Congress of Epidemiology. 7-11 October, 2017; Florianópolis, Brazil

Violence in childhood and its relationship with inflammation and DNA methylation processes.

Soares, S.; Rocha, V., Fraga, S.

X Brazilian Congress of Epidemiology. 7-11 October, 2017; Florianópolis, Brazil

The influence of Children’s Eating Behaviours related to appetite on adherence to a healthy diet at 7 years of age.

Costa MP, Oliveira A, Lopes C, Vilela S.

XVII Congress of Nutrition and Food and I International Congress of Nutrition and Food. Lisbon, Portugal, 10-11 May, 2018.

The influence of children’s eating behaviours related to appetite on adherence to a healthy diet at 7 years of age.

Marta Pinto da Costa, Andreia Oliveira, Carla Lopes, Sofia Vilela. T

XVII Congresso de Alimentação e Nutrição/I International Congress of Food and Nutrituion from APN. Lisbon, 10-11 May, 2018.

The interaction effect of individual and neighbourhood socioeconomic conditions on all-cause mortality – a multi-cohort analysis.

Ribeiro, Ana Isabel; Fraga, Silvia; Kelly-Irving, Michelle; Delpierre, Cyrille; Kivimaki, Mika; Joost, Stéphane; Guessous, Idris; et al. 2019.

Paper presented in Lifepath Annual Meeting 2019.

Associations of appetitive behaviors at 7 years old with cardiometabolic health at 10 years old children from the Geração XXI birth cohort.

Warkentin S, Santos AC, Oliveira A.

18th meeting of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA). Praga, República Tcheca, 4-7 de Junho, 2019.

Relationship between time-of-day energy and macronutrient intake and children’s body weight status: a prospective meal-timing analysis.

Vilela S, Oliveira A, Severo M, Lopes C.

26th European Congress on Obesity. Glasgow, Scotland, 28th April-1st May, 2019.

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Biological consequences of exposure to social adversity in childhood.

Soares, Sara.

Doctoral Programme in Public Health, University of Porto. 2020.

Person, place and time contexts of growth and development of second generation migrant children in Portugal

Kana, Musa.

Doctoral Programme in Public Health, University of Porto. 2018.

Fetal Growth and Dietary Intake During Pregnancy: Results of Porto Birth Cohort

Pinto, Elisabete.

Doctoral Programme in Public Health, University of Porto. 2010.

Cardiovascular Risk Profile in Mothers of a Portuguese Birth Cohort

Alves, Elisabete.

Doctoral Programme in Public Health, University of Porto. 2012.

Cesarean - a role for culture, society and health care

Teixeira, Cristina.

Doctoral Programme in Public Health, University of Porto. 2013.

Prevalence and incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection in three Portuguese cohorts

Bastos, Joana Antunes de Lima.

Doctoral Programme in Public Health, University of Porto. 2013.

Reproductive and perinatal health in Portugal: social circumstances at the micro and macro level

Correia, Sofia.

Doctoral Programme in Public Health, University of Porto. 2014.

A influência dos determinantes de cárie dentária na prevalência da doença em crianças do Grande Porto

Coelho, Carina

Doctoral Programme in Dental Medicine, University of Porto. A decorrer

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Association of early socioeconomic circumstances with lung function in children: a study in the Generation XXI cohort.

Toluhi, K.

Master Thesis in Public Health. University of Porto. Ongoing.

Determinants of the evolution of nocturnal enuresis in children between 4 and 7 years old (Provisional title).

Morais, J.

Master Thesis in Medicine. Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto. Ongoing.

The effect of sleeping habits and problems at 4 and 7 year of age on cardiometabolic health.

Guedes, Raissa.

Master Degree in Public Health. University of Porto. 2020.

Long and short term complications of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Yusuf, Bilkisu.

Master Degree Course in Public Health. University of Porto. 2020.

Weight, appetitive behaviours and parental feeding practices in childhood: their association and reciprocal influences.

Costa, Alexandra.

Master Degree Course in Public Health. University of Porto. 2020.

Influence of parental child-feeding practices on dietary patterns of 7 year-old from Generation XXI.

Barbosa, Catarina.

Master Degree Course in Public Health. University of Porto. 2020.

The effect of sugar-sweetened beverages on children’s appetitive behaviours: a prospective approach from the Generation XXI birth cohort

Costa, Daniela.

Mastr in Public Health. University of Porto. 2019.

Healthy eating patterns in childhood: tracking and its related factors

Costa, Marta.

Master in Public Health. University of Porto. 2019.

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Awards and prizes

Association between appetitive traits from childhood to adolescence and cardiometabolic health: findings from the Generation XXI cohort.

Costa A, Severo M, Oliveira A.

2nd Prize - Best Oral Communication of XXIII Congress of Food and Nutrition.

Weight trajectories from birth to 5 years and child appetitive traits at 7 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study.

Warkentin S, Santos AC, Oliveira A.

Paper of the Year 2023, from British Jornal of Nutrition.

How does early socioeconomic circumstances impact inflammatory trajectories? Findings from Generation XXI.

Soares, S.; López-Chéda, A.; Santos, A.C.; Barros, H.; Fraga, S.

Programa IACOBUS - Publicacións Científicas (Papers), 2021. Psychoneuroendocrinology, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104755)

Inflammation grade, Parental Violence and Socioeconomic Position: The evidence from biological consequences of social adversity in childhood.

Sara Soares.

3rd award in oral presentation at the Young Researchers Forum from ASPHER, 10th November 2016. Young Researchers Forum; 9th European Public Health Conference; 9th-12th November 2016; Vienna, Austria)

Young Nutritionist Merit Award - Honorable Mention Award.

Ana Sofia Vilela.

Order of Nutritionists (Portugal).

1st Award Best Comunicattion in Poster.

Andreia Vaz et al.

XVIII Congress of Nutrition and Food (Portugal).

Santander Universidades Idea Puzzle®

Sara Soares.

Santarder Totta Bank.

ESCEO-Ag Novos Healthcare Young Investigation Award.

Teresa Monjardino.

World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases 2017.

Identification of dietary patterns at 7 years-old that explain body mass index (BMI) at 10 years-old: comparison of 3 methodological approaches in the G21 cohort.

Andreia Pinto, Andreia Oliveira.

3rd Prize of best oral communication. XVII Congress of Food and Nutrition/I International Congress of Food and Nutrition. Lisbon, 10-11 May, 2018.

Early Career Investigator for September issue of Pediatric Research.

Raquel Lucas.

Pediatric Research.

Best Publication (Edition 2017).

Catarina Durão.

Portuguese Association of Epidemiology.

Sexo e obesidade modificam o impacto do sal na pressão arterial em crianças

Costa L, Cosme D, Nogueira-Silva L, Morato M, Sousa T, Moura C, Mota C, Guerra A, Albino-Teixeira A, Areias JC, Schaefer F, Lopes C, Caldas-Afonso A, Azevedo A.

Oral communication. Best work in other pediatric áreas. Pfizer Vacinas-SPP. 16º Congresso Nacional de Pediatria. Albufeira October 2015.

Social Trajectory and Body Image Satisfaction in Childbearing Women

Henriques A, Alves L, Alves E, Silva S, Barros H, Azevedo A.

Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2015 Jun;19(6):1237-44. Best 2014 publication, Associação Portuguesa de Epidemiologia. August 2015.

Dietary patterns at 4 years of age: are they associated with appetite-related eating behaviours in 7 year-old children?

Albuquerque G, Lopes c, Durão C, Severo M, Moreira P, Oliveira A.

II Ibero-American Congress of Epidemiology and Public Health. Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2-4 September, 2015. 1st award “Patxi Català” SESPAS-EASP – best oral presentation.

Consumo alimentar e nutricional de crianças em idade pré-escolar: Resultados da coorte Geração 21

Carla Lopes, Andreia Oliveira, Lisa Afonso, Teresa Moreira, Catarina Durão, Milton Severo, Sofia Vilela, Elisabete Ramos, Henrique Barros

Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto 2014. (ISBN: 978-989-98867-4-2). 1st award Food & Nutrition Awards 2014 (APN/GCI) – research and development category.

Da mesa à horta: aprendo a gostar de fruta e vegetais: Um guia prático para pais e cuidadores de crianças em idade pré-escolar

Carla Lopes, Andreia Oliveira, Lisa Afonso, Catarina Durão, Pedro Moreira, Elisabete Pinto, Elisabete Ramos, Henrique Barros

Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto 2014. (ISBN: 978-989-98867-3-5). 2nd honorable mention, Food & Nutrition Awards 2014 (APN/GCI) – category mobilization initiative.

Identificação de padrões alimentares em crianças com 4 anos de idade

Durão C, Severo M, Oliveira A, Ramos E, Lopes C

Best oral presentation, XIII Congresso de Nutrição e Alimentação da Associação Portuguesa dos Nutricionistas. Porto, 22 May 2014.

Association between energy-dense food consumption at 2 years of age and diet quality at 4 years of age

Vilela S, Oliveira A, Ramos E, Moreira P, Barros H, Lopes C

Br J Nutr. 2014 Apr 14;111(7):1275-82. Best publication of 2013, Associação Portuguesa de Epidemiologia.

Association between energy-dense food consumption at 2 years of age and diet quality at 4 years of age

Vilela S, Oliveira A, Ramos E, Moreira P, Barros H, Lopes C.

Br J Nutr. 2013 Nov 14:1-8. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007114513003620. Associação Portuguesa de Epidemiologia, 2013. Best publication of research in epidemiology (population, clinical or translational)

Disciplina parental e saúde: um estudo na coorte Geração 21

Diogo Mendes, Isabel Moreira, Henrique Barros

3º Congresso sobre o Abuso e Negligência de Crianças. 2013. Porto, Portugal. Best oral presentation.

Perda de peso neonatal numa amostra portuguesa - coorte de nascimento Geração XXI

Maria João Fonseca, Milton Severo, Henrique Barros, Ana Cristina Santos

14º Congresso Nacional de Pediatria. 2013. Porto, Portugal. – Best work in general pediatrics.

Early growth and the risk of childhood asthma: a meta-analysis of 1,000 European children

Sonnenschein-van der Voort AMM, Arends LR, Jongste JC de, Annesi-Maesano I, Barros H, Basterrechea M, Bisgaard H, Chatzi L, Corpeleijn E, Correia S, Craig LC, et al.

European Respiratory Society Annual Meeting. 2013. Barcelona, Spain. Best Abstract in Paediatric Respiratory Epidemiology

Obesidade saudável em mulheres Portuguesas após a maternidade

Henriques A, Azevedo A, Barros H.

16º Congresso Português de Obesidade. Lisbon. November 2012. Best oral presentation in obesity and comorbidities.

Satisfação com a imagem corporal antes da gravidez e excesso de peso quatro anos após o parto

Henriques A, Alves E, Azevedo A, Barros H.

15º Congresso Português de Obesidade. Coimbra. November 2011. Best oral presentation in psychology.

Determinantes sociais do consumo de alimentos de elevada densidade energética em crianças de 2 anos

Sofia Vilela, Andreia Oliveira, Ana cristina Santos, Elisabete Pinto, Isabel Moreira, Carla Lopes

X Congresso de Nutrição e Alimentação & Congresso Ibero-Americano de Nutrição. 2011. Lisbon, Portugal. Best oral presentation.

Cigarette smoking cessation during pregnancy and sustainability 4 years after delivery

Alves E, Correia S, Azevedo A, Barros H.

Congresso Mundial de Epidemiologia. Edimburgo, 2011. Best panel presentation in “Global Problems”.

Prevalência e determinantes da infecção por helicobacter pylori no início da vida: resultados de uma coorte de nascimento portuguesa

Nuno Lunet

2011. Scientific Research award Dr.ª Maria Odette Ferreira-Santos.

Avaliação da ingestão alimentar em grávidas portuguesas

Elisabete Pinto, Carla Lopes, Milton Severo, Elisabete Ramos, Sofia Correia, Susana Cabral, Isabel dos Santos Silva, Henrique Barros

Nutrition Awards. 2011. Research Award in Nutrition Sciences.

Colaborations

Projects in collaboration with international institutions

Birthcohorts.net

CHICOS– Developing a Child Cohort Research Strategy for Europe

ENRIECO – Environmental Health Risks in European Birth Cohorts

EUCCONET – The European Child Cohort Network