# BIB: tips and FAQs
>Last modified: 14 Oct 2026

<div style="background-color: rgba(0, 178, 169, 0.3); padding: 10px; border-radius: 5px;"><strong>Useful tips for working with BIB data.</strong></div style>  
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**Distinguishing betweeen mothers and children in the cohort**  

The variable **bib_age_y** enables researchers to distinguish between the original mothers and their children in the cohort. It refers to the age at which the original participants joined the cohort.
* If bib_age_y is 0 then the participant is a child of one of the original participants
* If bib_age_y is not 0 then the participant is an original participants ("a mother")