A Systematic Review of Twin Studies in Infants, Children, and Adolescents in Health Research: Focus on South Asia

Twin studies provide a powerful framework to identify genetic and environmental inTwin studies provide a valuable opportunity to understand how genetic and environmental
factors influence health, growth and development. The systematic review explored existing
health research involving twins in South Asian countries to better understand the current state of
twin research and identify areas that require further investigation. The aim of the review was to
examine the available evidence from health research involving infants, children and adolescents
who are twins in South Asia. However, despite the large population of south Asia, relatively little
twin research as been conducted in the region compared with other parts of the world.
The review set out three specific objectives.
 To identify characterize the scope of existing twin research, including the types and
volume of studies conducted.
 To examine the characteristics, quality, and methodological approaches of these studies.
 To identify research gaps and provide recommendations for strengthening future twin
research in South Asia.
Overall, this study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of twin research involving infants,
children, and adolescent in South Asia, generating high quality evidence to improve
understanding of child and adolescent health while supporting future research, healthcare and
policy development across the region.