Tessa Roseboom Impact Award in Society

Tessa Roseboom has shown with her still ongoing research on the effects of the 1944-1945 Hunger Winter that the environment in which people develop from single fertilized egg to complete human being is the foundation upon which the rest is built. This research provided the first direct evidence in humans that (the mother’s lack of) nutrition during pregnancy affects the physical and mental health of her children and grandchildren. And it is still relevant today. Roseboom: “If you see now what’s happening in Ukraine, in Sudan, in Gaza, there are still a lot of people who don’t get the chance to develop their potential. And they suffer for life.’

Based on her research in contemporary populations, Roseboom argues, both nationally and internationally, for investing in a good start to every human life so that people get a fair chance to grow up in a healthy and safe environment. In the Netherlands, this is done with the national program “Kansrijke Start,” which invests in the first 1,000 days of a human life, so that it no longer matters where your cradle was for your chances in life. Kansrijke Start is based on Rosebooms’ insights.

Internationally, she provided input on the UN Declaration for Future Generations adopted at the UN Summit on the Future in September 2024 – so that all decisions take into account the impact of our actions on the environment in which future generations are formed.