Diet, lifestyle and biological determinants of health and chronic diseases: the EPIC-Norfolk Prospective population study
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Clinical School
Abstract
As the population ages, a major challenge is how we can maintain good health and prevent disease and disability.
EPIC-Norfolk(European Prospective Investigation into Cancer in Norfolk) is a study of 25,000 men and women aged 40-79 years living in East Anglia who contributed detailed information on their health and lifestyle, in particular, diet and physical activity in 1993-1997 and who have since been followed up to examine what factors predict health as we age. This study aims to understand better how to prevent and treat many of the chronic diseases associated with ageing such as heart disease and stroke, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, respiratory disease and osteoporosis leading to fractures as well as how to maintain optimal health in later life.
Measurements of new biologic markers in blood, including genetic profile, are also enabling us to understand better disease processes and progression, which may help us identify better treatments. We continuing to follow up the participants in this study and in the next phase, assess physical and mental function to examine how we can influence how these change as we age.
EPIC-Norfolk(European Prospective Investigation into Cancer in Norfolk) is a study of 25,000 men and women aged 40-79 years living in East Anglia who contributed detailed information on their health and lifestyle, in particular, diet and physical activity in 1993-1997 and who have since been followed up to examine what factors predict health as we age. This study aims to understand better how to prevent and treat many of the chronic diseases associated with ageing such as heart disease and stroke, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, respiratory disease and osteoporosis leading to fractures as well as how to maintain optimal health in later life.
Measurements of new biologic markers in blood, including genetic profile, are also enabling us to understand better disease processes and progression, which may help us identify better treatments. We continuing to follow up the participants in this study and in the next phase, assess physical and mental function to examine how we can influence how these change as we age.
Technical Summary
EPIC-Norfolk is a prospective population study of 25,000 men and women aged 40-79 years resident in Norfolk, UK recruited in 1993-1997. The overall goal is to identify dietary and other determinants of health and chronic disease to inform preventive interventions to improve health in later life. Particular investment has been made in better measurement of lifestyle, in particular diet and physical activity and biological phenotyping. Extensive data already collected on the cohort includes social, psychosocial, family history, medical, anthropometric, lifestyle including detailed physical activity and dietary information with repeated 7 day diaries and food frequency questionnaires; blood lipids, glycated haemoglobin, plasma vitamin C, thyroid function and bone heel ultrasound measures. A biological bank of blood and urine samples has been established for genetic and biochemical profiling. This British prospective study includes substantial numbers of women and older persons and wide urban-rural and socio-economic variations. We have already demonstrated the value of this approach, in particular the emphasis on better exposure and endpoint measurement, in published results.
The current proposal is to provide core infrastructural support to continue follow up of the cohort for health endpoints, (both subjective and objective health measures), enable a repeat survey of the cohort for objective physical and cognitive functional measures and visual health, maintain and and update the databases and biological banks and to examine hypotheses on determinants of health. The cohort size, providing sufficient power to examine disease endpoints, improved accuracy of measurement of diet, physical activity and other exposures, availability of biological markers and improved endpoint ascertainment will enable better elucidation of the qualitative and quantitative relationship between lifestyle and biologic variables and health outcomes relevant in ageing populations. We will also explore the interaction of genetic predisposition with environmental factors for health outcomes.
The current proposal is to provide core infrastructural support to continue follow up of the cohort for health endpoints, (both subjective and objective health measures), enable a repeat survey of the cohort for objective physical and cognitive functional measures and visual health, maintain and and update the databases and biological banks and to examine hypotheses on determinants of health. The cohort size, providing sufficient power to examine disease endpoints, improved accuracy of measurement of diet, physical activity and other exposures, availability of biological markers and improved endpoint ascertainment will enable better elucidation of the qualitative and quantitative relationship between lifestyle and biologic variables and health outcomes relevant in ageing populations. We will also explore the interaction of genetic predisposition with environmental factors for health outcomes.