This thesis determined if children with poorer vitamin D status at birth are at increased risk of hospital admission for respiratory tract infections during the first year of life.

The demography, health, pregnancy behaviours, family histories, and intentions for their children, of the partners who were enrolled antenatally into Growing Up in New Zealand, New Zealand’s new birth cohort study has been described.

The birth characteristics of the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort with those of all New Zealand (NZ) births over a similar time period, and the cohort alignment to current NZ births has been described.

This report described the development of the new generation of New Zealand children from before they were born until they were nine months of age

The adherence to nutritional guidelines by pregnant women in New Zealand and maternal characteristics associated with adherence has been determined.

The iron status at birth had been described in a subsample of children enrolled in the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort and part of the cord blood study.

The timeliness of lead maternity carer (LMC) engagement was described and factors associated with timely LMC engagement were identified.

This project described the epidemiology of childhood food allergies in NZ over the past 20 years and through a qualitative study, determined what strategies are needed for a New Zealand family to cope, adapt and feel fully supported when a child is diagnosed with a food allergy.

The birth characteristics of the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort with those of all New Zealand (NZ) births over a similar time period has been compared, and cohort alignment to current NZ births has been described.

This is the first Growing Up in New Zealand that described the new generation of children from before they were born