| Summary: | Abstract The aim of this thesis was to explore associations between growth and development during childhood and risk of later stroke within the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966). Specifically, whether 1) pregnancy and birth related risk factors 2) height, weight, and BMI growth before school age or 3) childhood motor and language milestone achievement are associated with increased stroke risk in adulthood. The NFBC1966 is a population-based birth cohort consisting of 12,068 pregnant women and their 12,058 live-born children. This dissertation utilizes data that has been collected from medical records, national registers, clinical examinations, and questionnaires and a follow-up of up to 54 years. The results show that several early life factors are associated with increased risk of young adult strokes. A novel finding is the association of low maternal weight gain and offspring’s risk of ischemic stroke, which was independent of birth weight. Low weight, height and ponderal index at time of birth were markers of increased stroke risk in later life. Among girls also below average weight or height growth during the first 2 years of life and above average BMI before school age associated with adulthood stroke risk. In addition, the results suggest childhood developmental milestone achievement has predictive value for later life strokes. This study is one of the few to investigate early life factors in relation to adulthood stroke. The results of this thesis support the notion that early development, beginning during prenatal stages, can provide useful indicators of future processes influencing stroke risk. Tiivistelmä Tämän väitöskirjatutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli tutkia lapsuusajan kasvun ja kehityksen yhteyttä aikuisiän aivoverenkiertohäiriöriskiin vuoden 1966 Pohjois-Suomen syntymäkohortissa (NFBC1966). Tarkemmin eriteltynä, oliko 1) raskauden ja synnytyksen aikaisillä riskitekijöillä, 2) pituus-, paino- ja painoindeksikasvulla ennen kouluikää tai 3) lapsuuden motorisella tai kielellisellä ...
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