Professor Vincent Jaddoe is a long-time researcher into how development in the womb and during early childhood influences health, well-being and social participation later in life. He is the principal investigator of the large-scale population study Generation R, which has been following around 10,000 children in Rotterdam since 2001. Thanks to this research, much more is now known about the factors that can give children a better start in life. How does this knowledge lead to behavioural and policy changes to ensure a healthier lifestyle and living environment.
Vincent Jaddoe is a paediatrician and Professor of Paediatrics and Epidemiology at Erasmus MC. He is also Professor of Epidemiology at Harvard University. His Generation R research programme involves more than 150 researchers from 30 different departments at Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), other research institutes and the City of Rotterdam. In addition, Jaddoe is the initiator of the Convergence programme Healthy Start. In November 2025, he was appointed Erasmus Professor.
Generation R impact
The Generation R research findings have been published in over 1,500 scientific papers and contribute to a positive societal impact. The data not only form an important basis for various clinical practice guidelines, but also for policy in the field of environment and health and various Dutch national action plans such as "Kansrijke start" (Solid Start). The scientific significance of the research is also evident from the 11 prestigious individual European Research Council (ERC) Grants awarded to researchers at Erasmus MC and Erasmus University based on Generation R data.
The children from the first cohort are now young adults. What do you consider to be the most striking findings of the study?
'Thanks to Generation R, we now know much more about the factors that can give children a better start in life. We know that the first phase of life is very important. That early pregnancy, and actually the phase before that too; how healthy and informed are the future parents at the start of pregnancy. That has a huge impact on the child at birth, but also afterwards. But how do you ensure that this knowledge leads to a change in lifestyle? Anyone you ask on the street knows that you should take folic acid if you want to get pregnant and that you mustn't smoke during pregnancy. But if you look at the research data, you see that 40% of women do not take folic acid and that 20% smoke.
We also now know that certain risk factors, such as smoking and being overweight, are more common in certain groups. Whilst research often focuses on the effect of these risk factors, we need to gain a better understanding of how different factors are linked. That is essential. For example, a high percentage of women of Turkish background smoke, whilst that percentage is much lower among women of Moroccan background.
There are also significant differences in alcohol consumption. Among Dutch women, 60% drink alcohol in moderation during pregnancy, whereas other women rarely do so. While these patterns obviously don't tell the whole story, they can help identify at-risk groups and pinpoint areas for prevention. The question, of course, is how to translate those kinds of findings into practical action.'
How have the findings from Generation R contributed to prevention?
'We launched Generation Next in 2017. This follow-up study is not simply a repeat of the previous one but builds on the results from the first phase. Since we now know, for example, that the preconception phase is so important, we want to learn much more about it. Women and men are allowed to participate prior to pregnancy. We examine how the health, diet and lifestyle of both women and men influence the child's development, already before pregnancy. This is also linked to a unique new intervention study, focused on lifestyle changes for prospective parents.'
According to X, Generation R's research findings contribute to prevention every single day. He explains that they have been incorporated into all sorts of guidelines. 'Take, for example, clinical practice guidelines used by gynaecologists, paediatricians and endocrinologists. These have been revised based on the findings.
The results of Generation R are being used in a wide variety of contexts, both by municipal and national authorities. Among other things, the research findings provide input for the prevention and youth policy of the City of Rotterdam.' As an example of national impact, he cites measures to improve air quality. 'Generation R has shown that unborn babies who are exposed to particulate matter via their mothers have a higher risk of birth complications and an increased risk of asthma later in life. These findings also served as input for the speed-limiting measures introduced on the roads.'
'The results of Generation R have been incorporated into all sorts of guidelines'
Professor Vincent Jaddoe
Whom does Generate R collaborate with?
'Generation R is a research programme run by Erasmus MC and Erasmus University, in which 20 departments are closely involved and collaborate on a regular basis. This also applies to the City of Rotterdam, the Rotterdam Rijnmond Municipal Health Service (GGD) and the national government, in particular the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). We hold regular consultations with the municipality and the ministry, on the one hand to address policy-relevant questions, and on the other to explore how we can ensure our findings are implemented and translated into policy changes.'
Jaddoe emphasises the importance of inter-faculty collaboration. 'Not only departments at Erasmus MC, but also departments at Erasmus University Rotterdam form the basis of the programme. That list is very extensive, because children's health and development are linked to just about everything. From Erasmus University, the ESSB and the ESHPM are involved. And hopefully we can extend this to even more faculties.'
Could you give an example of the benefits of a transdisciplinary approach?
'What we're doing now is working with the City of Rotterdam, behavioural scientists and expectant parents to determine how we can put the findings into practice. How do we translate findings from observational research into new prevention strategies? How can we optimise the behaviour of expectant parents? We've settled on group sessions for expectant parents. We ask the participants what is needed to bring about a change in their behaviour. For example, is a website sufficient for providing information, or does it need to be more interactive? And if so, how, without taking up too much time and energy for future parents? Interactive and accessible information sessions appear to be the preferred option. They are now part of the programme. This is a very transdisciplinary and co-creative approach. We are also trying to establish links with other initiatives such as Healthy Start.'
Generation R has been running for over 20 years. To what extend have technological developments changed the study?
'There are things we measure now that we could never have imagined before. A lot has changed on the participants' side as well. Take the rise of social media, for example. Naturally, we've had to anticipate developments like that in our research.
As part of the Erasmus professorship, I’ll also be focusing on innovative care within paediatrics. New technologies naturally play an important role in this. How do you deal with the challenges of increasing staff shortages and rising costs? That calls for a different, creativity-driven approach to work, while also keeping your staff motivated. One possible solution is automating routine tasks - essentially, incorporating robotics into our processes. We're working on this together with TU Delft.'
How do you train the new generation of students
'Our academic environment has traditionally been based on individual performance. Currently, it often stops at disseminating knowledge. After doing so, we usually move quickly on to the next research project and the next scientific article. But the question remains: "Are we doing enough with what we know, with our collective knowledge?" We need to learn about co-creation, transformation, and collaboration to achieve impact. And also, purely about the methodologies of impact. About what works and what doesn't. I'd like to create a program for this to start a pilot, also in collaboration with others at Erasmus University Rotterdam.'
'We focus on how nurses experience their work. We look at how we can make their jobs easier and more enjoyable so they can continue to work with satisfaction and enthusiasm in the long term'
Professor Vincent Jaddoe
When you were appointed Erasmus Professor, you mentioned that you wished to expand your impact-driven research programs. What are your plans?
'Well, I think we need to focus more and more on interventions. Even in schools, you can reach children at a young age to offer guidance. We're going to explore how to convince children that it makes a difference for their future whether they spend a large part of the day glued to the TV or another screen with a bag of crisps or keep this habit to a minimum. That's one theme: the early stages of life and the consequences for later on.
Then there's also the theme of healthcare innovation. Within Convergence, we launched the Samen Sophia study last year for nurses and care assistants. We're investigating how we can reduce the workload and increase job satisfaction. I’m a paediatrician at Sophia Children's Hospital, so I see the consequences of the massive staff shortage every day. That affects us all. Hopefully, we can contribute to a solution by developing a new way of working. In doing so, we pay close attention to how nurses experience their work. How we can make their jobs easier and more enjoyable so they can continue to work with satisfaction and enthusiasm in the long term.'
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