Objective To examine the association between childhood health and adult health outcomes.

Methods We used data from the 1970 British Cohort Study, which follows participants from age 10 to age 51. Childhood health at age 10 was measured using the Rutter Scale for emotional and behavioural difficulties and self-reported physical health problems that occurred within the last 12 months. We estimated associations using logistic regression models, applying inverse probability weighting to adjust for sample attrition. All models controlled for a wide range of background characteristics reflecting childhood circumstances.

Results We find evidence of associations between health at age 10 and health outcomes at age 51. Severe emotional and behavioural difficulties in childhood were most strongly associated with both the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms (relative risk [RR]: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.26–2.56) and with reporting a long-term health condition that affects the amount or type of work (RR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.19–2.24). Childhood physical health problems were also associated with a higher likelihood of long-term conditions affecting work (RR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.10–1.68), though we found no statistically significant association with depressive symptoms in midlife.

Conclusion Childhood mental and physical health were associated with adult health outcomes more than four decades later. These findings highlight the potential long-term implications of early-life health for wellbeing in midlife, supporting the case for early intervention and sustained support throughout childhood.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This work was supported by Impact on Urban Health. The views expressed are those of the author and not nesecarily those of IPPR or Impact on Urban Health. No funder had any influence in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report or in the decision to submit the article for publication. We confirm our independence from funders and that we had full access to all of the data in the study and can take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

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Full details of the ethical review process for BCS70 are available in a report published by the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies (Shepherd & Gilbert, 2019). A separate ethical review was not required for this study.

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