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About ECHO
ECHO’s mission is to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. The program consists of 69 existing and ongoing observational studies and a pediatric clinical trials network. Research conducted through ECHO focuses on five key pediatric outcomes that have a high public health impact: pre-, peri- and postnatal outcomes; upper and lower airway health; obesity; neurodevelopment; and positive health, such as happiness and a sense of wellbeing.
Below, please find the latest press releases, research updates, and program announcements related to ECHO research.
The ECHO Program issues Press Releases for select publications in high impact journals.
- Early-Life Airborne Lead Exposure Associated With Lower IQ and Self-Control in NIH Study February 22, 2024
- NIH Study Finds Flame-Retardant Chemicals May Increase Risk Of Preterm Birth, Higher Birth Weight January 25, 2024
- Early Breastfeeding Linked to Lower Risk of Childhood Obesity, Regardless of Mother’s Weight, NIH Study Finds January 11, 2024
- NIH Study Validates New Scale for Measuring Pandemic-Related Traumatic Stress in Children and Adults November 6, 2023
- NIH Study Suggests Measurement Bias in Common Child Behavior Assessment Tool September 29, 2023
- NIH Study Identifies Food to Help Pregnant People Optimize Intake of Key Nutrients September 27, 2023
- NIH Study Finds Association Between Elevated Phthalate Levels and Increased Risk of Postpartum Depression September 21, 2023
- NIH Study Explores the Role of Caregiver Pandemic-Related Stress in Child Behavior September 11, 2023
- Study Shows Association Between Better Neighborhood Conditions and Lower Childhood Asthma Rates August 28, 2023
- Education Levels and Child Age Shaped Caregivers’ Concerns Amid COVID-19, NIH Study Suggests August 23, 2023
- NIH Study Suggests Limiting Sugary Drinks at Home Most Effective in Efforts to Cut Childhood Sugar Consumption August 8, 2023
- NIH Study Suggests Association Between Prenatal Depression and Greater Autism-related Traits in Children August 1, 2023
- NIH Study Suggests Maternal Inflammation Risk Factors Associated With Children’s Behavioral and Emotional Regulation July 17, 2023
- NIH Study Links Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure to Higher BMI & Obesity Risk in Children June 7, 2023
- NIH Study Finds Prenatal Substance Exposure Linked to Child Behavior Problems May 24, 2023
- NIH Study Finds Association Between Gestational Diabetes, Maternal Depression, and Early Childhood Behavior Problems May 12, 2023
- NIH Study Investigates Factors Affecting Asthma With Frequent Symptom Flare Ups in Young Children May 10, 2023
- NIH Study Examines Healthcare Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic for Children Born Preterm May 1, 2023
- NIH Study Examines Early Life Factors Affecting Behavior and Well-being of Young Children April 26, 2023
- NIH Research Suggests Few Prenatal Supplements Meet All Nutrition Recommendations for Pregnancy April 4, 2023
- NIH Study Links Low Birthweight to Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Exposure March 15, 2023
- NIH Study Investigates Link Between Mental Health and Pregnancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic March 8, 2023
- NIH Study Reveals Potential Link Between Pregnancy Complications and Slower Infant Development February 24, 2023
- NIH Study Suggests Association Between Mothers’ Experiences of Maltreatment in Their Own Childhood to Their Children’s Health Outcomes February 24, 2023
- NIH Study Finds Screen Time Increases in Children During the Pandemic Persisted After Restrictions Lifted February 15, 2023
- NIH Study Finds the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Reduced Children’s Body Mass Index February 13, 2023
- NIH Program Study Suggests Pregnant People with Higher Levels of Oxidative Stress May Be More Likely to Deliver Preterm Babies January 27, 2023
- NIH Program Study Links Prenatal Exposure to Perfluorononanoic Acid with Childhood Autism-related Traits January 27, 2023
- NIH Program Study Links Neighborhood Opportunity and Social Vulnerability to Children’s Body Mass Index December 22, 2022
- NIH Program Study Finds Life Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Contribute to Mothers’ Traumatic Stress December 16, 2022
- NIH Program Study Evaluates Eye Tracking as a Tool for Assessing Attention Patterns in Children September 15, 2022
- NIH Program Study Finds Pregnant People are Exposed to Dangerous Chemicals Found in a Variety of Household Products August 31, 2022
- NIH Program Study Finds Increased Weight Gain in Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic August 16, 2022
- NIH Program Study Suggests Racial/Ethnic Sleep Disparities During Pregnancy June 21, 2022
- NIH Program Study Finds Rising Levels of Chemical Exposures in Pregnant Women May 10, 2022
- NIH Program Study Finds Association Between Prenatal Obesity and Child Autism-Related Behaviors April 21, 2022
- NIH Program Study Links COVID-19 Pandemic Hardships to Child Life Satisfaction March 18, 2022
- NIH Program Study Links Smoking in Pregnant Moms to Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children February 24, 2022
Links to All Publications and Research Summaries
Media Contacts
For information or to request an interview, contact Rebekah Yeager, rebekah.yeager@nih.gov.
If you are not a member of the media, but have a general inquiry, please contact NIHKidsandEnvironment@od.nih.gov.
Connect With Us
Check out the recent issues of our bi-monthly newsletter, the ECHO Connector, for program news and the latest research findings.
To receive the ECHO Connector through email, subscribe here.
Follow @ECHOChildHealth for the latest ECHO Program updates on X (formerly known as Twitter).
ECHO Program Director
Dr. Matt Gillman joined the National Institutes of Health in 2016 as the inaugural director of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program in the Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health (NIH). He joined NIH from Harvard Medical School where he was a professor of population medicine; he was also professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.
Dr. Gillman has a background in the fields of epidemiology, pediatrics, and internal medicine. He came to NIH with experience in leading or collaborating on cohort studies and clinical trials. Dr. Gillman received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, earned a medical degree from Duke University, completed a med/peds residency at North Carolina Memorial Hospital, and received a master’s degree in epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health.