Childhood predictors of self reported chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic
encephalomyelitis in adults: national birth cohort study

Russell Viner 1 Matthew Hotopf 2

1 Department of Paediatrics, Royal Free and University College Medical
School, Middlesex Hospital, London W1T 3AA
2 Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London
SE5 8AF

Objective: To study childhood risk factors for chronic fatigue syndrome
in adult life.

Design Examination of data from the 1970 British birth cohort.

Participants: 16 567 babies born 5-11 April 1970, followed up at 5, 10,
16, and 29-30 years.

Main outcome measures Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis
(CFS/ME) identified by self report at age 30 years. Data from childhood
from questionnaires given to parents and teachers. Maternal mental
health assessed with the malaise inventory.

Results: 93 (0.8%, 95% confidence interval 0.7 to 1.0) of 11 261
participants reported ever having CFS/ME, and 48 (0.4%, 0.3 to 0.6) had
the condition currently. Higher risk of CFS/ME was associated with
having a limiting longstanding condition in childhood (odds ratio 2.3,
1.4 to 3.9), female sex (2.3, 1.4 to 2.6), and high social class in
childhood (2.2, 1.4 to 3.5). Higher levels of exercise in childhood were
associated with lower risk (0.5, 0.2 to 0.9). Maternal psychological
disorder, psychological problems in childhood, birth weight, birth
order, atopy, obesity, school absence, academic ability, and parental
illness were not associated with risk of CFS/ME.

Conclusions: We identified no association between maternal or child
psychological distress, academic ability, parental illness, atopy, or
birth order and increasing risk of lifetime CFS/ME. Sedentary behaviour
increased the risk.

(Accepted 14 September 2004)

The PDF of the full paper is here:
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/bmj.38258.507928.55v1