Gemini: Health and Development in Twins (Gemini)
Gemini aims to advance understanding of the genetic and environmental influences on obesity risk; to identify potentially modifiable determinants of excessive weight gain in adolescents; and to contribute to a longer-term programme of integrated genetic environmental research in preventive health behaviours. It is a large population-based study of English and Welsh families with twins born between March and December 2007. Families were recruited after the Office for National Statistics approached them on behalf of Gemini using birth registration data in January 2008. The sample includes 1,586 same-sex and 816 opposite-sex twin pairs. Participants have been followed up 11 times since the baseline assessment in 2008.
Study design
Cohort - twin, Cohort - intergenerational, Cohort, Cohort - birth
Number of participants at first data collection
2,402 (families)
Age at first data collection
8 months (twin participants)
Varied (parents)
Participant year of birth
2007 (twin participants)
Varied (parents)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
The distribution of the Gemini families across England and Wales mirrors the population densities. Additionally, included twins are comparable in sex, zygosity, gestational age, and birthweight to national averages of twins.
Sample features
Countries
Year of first data collection
2008
Primary Institutions
University College London (UCL) (Academic, United Kingdom)
Links
Profile paper DOI
Funders
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) (Third Sector, United Kingdom)
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (Research council, United Kingdom)
MQ Mental Health Research (Third Sector, United Kingdom)
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia & Depression (NARSAD) (now known as Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation; BBRF) (Third Sector, United States of America)
Ongoing?
Yes
Data types collected
- Computer, paper or task testing (e.g. cognitive testing, theory of mind doll task, attention computer tasks)
- Interview – phone
- Physical or biological assessment (e.g. blood, saliva, gait, grip strength, anthropometry)
- Self-completed questionnaire – online
- Self-completed questionnaire – paper or computer assisted
- None
- None
- None
Engagement
Keywords
Consortia and dataset groups
