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The effect of an early education program on adult health : the Carolina Abecedarian Project randomized controlled trial . OBJECTIVES We explored whether a successful randomized controlled trial of early education , the Carolina Abecedarian Project ( ABC ) , which enrolled infants from 1972 to 1977 at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute in Chapel Hill , North Carolina , improved health outcomes and behaviors by 21 years of age . METHODS ABC randomized 111 infants to receive an intensive early education program or nutritional supplements and parental counseling alone ; participants have been followed to the present day . We examined the effect of ABC on health outcomes and behavioral risk factors when participants were aged 21 years , and then explored the mediators of this relationship . RESULTS Relative to the control group , the ABC treatment group was previously found to have improved cognition and educational attainment . We found that the intervention also improved heath ( P = .05 ) and health behaviors ( P = .03 ) when participants were aged 21 years . These improvements in behaviors were not mediated by IQ , math and reading scores at 15 years of age , educational attainment , or health insurance . CONCLUSIONS Effective early education programs may improve health and reduce risky health behaviors in adulthood .
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Intervention_Educational
early education program
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Intervention_Educational
early education
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Intervention_Educational
intensive early education program or nutritional supplements and parental counseling alone ;
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Intervention_Control
control group
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Intervention_Educational
ABC treatment
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Intervention_Educational
Effective early education programs
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Outcome_Mental
improved cognition and educational attainment .
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Outcome_Physical
improved heath
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Outcome_Mental
health behaviors
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Outcome_Mental
IQ , math and reading scores
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Outcome_Other
educational attainment , or health insurance .
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Outcome_Mental
health and reduce risky health behaviors
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Participant_Condition
adult health :
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Participant_Condition
enrolled infants from 1972 to 1977 at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute in Chapel Hill , North Carolina