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Supplementary Table 1. Cohort study descriptions
Cohort / Study description / Web Link and Relevant Reference
Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC)
USA / The ARIC study is a population-based cohort study designed to study of new and established risk factors for atherosclerosis and community trends in coronary heart disease. In 1987-89, baseline data was collected on 15,792 adults, aged 45–64 y, living in four U.S. communities (Forsyth County, NC; Jackson, MI; northwest Minneapolis suburbs, MN; Washington County, MD). The baseline exam was conducted in 1987-89 and information was collected on African Americans, Whites, and a few adults of other ethnicities, aged 45–64 y. After providing informed consent, 15,792 adults were enrolled (8,710 women and 7,082 men). A total of 9,189 Caucasian adults and 3,078 African Americans with available DNA, valid dietary information, and consent to share genetic data were eligible for the current analysis. / http://www.cscc.unc.edu/aric/
Am J Epidemiol. 129(4): 687-702, 1989
Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS)
USA / The CHS is a prospective population-based cohort study of people ≥ 65 years old at baseline initiated to evaluate risk factors for the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. Participants were recruited at four field centers (Forsyth County, NC; Sacramento County, CA; Washington County, MD; Pittsburgh, PA) from random samples of Medicare eligibility lists. 5201 predominantly White participants were recruited in 1989-90, and 687 additional African Americans in 1992-93. A total of 3222 White and 584 African American adults with available DNA, valid dietary information, covariate information, and consent to share genetic data were eligible for the current analysis. / http://www.chs-nhlbi.org/
Ann Epidemiol. 1(3): 263-276, 1991
European Prospective Investigation of Cancer Norfolk (EPIC Norfolk)
UK / The European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC)- Norfolk Study recruited a total of 25,639 volunteers, aged 40-79 years, from general practices in Norwich and surrounding towns in Norfolk, U.K., between 1993 and 1997. EPIC-Norfolk is a population-based cohort study where participants completed a baseline health check, including detailed questionnaires on health and lifestyle as well as clinical data collection. In addition to the baseline visit (1993-97), the study has follow-up data from 2 postal questionnaires (18 months, and in 2002-04, as well as a repeat health check visit in 1998-2000. In the current study, 2417 healthy participants with dietary and genetic information were available for analysis / http://www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/Research/Studies/EPIC/index.html
Day N, Oakes S, Luben R, Khaw K-T, Bingham S, Welch A and Wareham N. EPIC-Norfolk: study design and characteristics of the cohort. BJC, 1999, 80(suppl): 95-103.
Family Heart Study (FamHS)
USA / The FHS began in 1992 with the ascertainment of 1,200 families (50% randomly sampled, and 50% high risk for CHD). The families (~6,000 individuals,) were sampled on the basis of information on probands from four population-based parent studies: the Framingham Heart Study, the Utah Family Tree Study, and two ARIC centers (Minneapolis, and Forsyth County, NC). Approximately eight years later, study participants belonging to the largest pedigrees were invited for a second clinical exam. A total of 4,135 participants of European descent in 510 extended families were examined. A total of 2980 adults with available DNA and who provided valid dietary information were eligible for the current study. / https://dsgweb.wustl.edu/PROJECTS/MP1.html
Higgins et al. Am J Epidemiol. 143 (12): 1219, 1996
Fenland
UK / The Fenland study is a cross-sectional study of 5,000 individuals aged 30-55 years in Cambridgeshire, UK. This study was designed to examine the interactions between lifestyle and genetic factors on the risk of obesity and related metabolic traits. Healthy men and women born between 1950 and 1975 and registered at medical practices in Cambridgeshire were eligible to participate in this study. For the present study, 1369 adults with available DNA and who provided complete dietary information were eligible for the current study. / http://www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/Studies/Fenland/
Framingham Heart Study (FHS)
USA / The Framingham Offspring Study is a community-based longitudinal study designed to examine CVD risk in the offspring of the original participants and the offspring spouses of the Framingham Heart Study cohort. In 1971, 5,124 individuals were enrolled in the study; since then, the cohort has been examined every 3–4 y. Between 1991 and 1995, during the 5th examination cycle, 3,799 adults, with a mean age of 54.98, underwent a standardized medical history and physical examination. Beginning in 2002, Gen III participants, who had at least one parent in the offspring cohort, were enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study. At the first cycle of the Gen III study, 4,095 individuals with a mean age of 40 y, underwent the standard clinic examination. For the present study both cohorts were included in the analysis. A total of 6361 adults with available DNA, valid dietary information, and consent to share genetic data were eligible for the current study. / http://www.framinghamheartstudy.org/
Prev Med.4:518–25, 1975 (2)
Am J Epidemiol. 165(11):1328-35, 2007
Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN)
USA / GOLDN is a population-based study with a primary aim of characterizing the genetic components of triglyceride response following a high fat meal and hypolipidemic drug, fenofibrate. GOLDN is part of the Program for Genetic Interactions (PROGENI) Network, a group of NIH-funded intervention studies of gene-environmental interactions. Study participants were re-recruited from the ongoing National Heart and Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI) Family Heart Study (FHS) from two field centers in Minneapolis, MN and Salt Lake City, UT. The overall population consists of 1120 white men and women of Northern European origin. For the current study, a total of 778 individuals had complete genotyping and valid dietary data available / dsgweb.wustl.edu/goldn/
Am J Epidemiol 143: 1219–1228, 1996
Clin Chem 53: 1144–1152, 2007.
Health, Aging and Body Composition
(Health ABC).
USA / The Health ABC study is a prospective cohort study investigating the associations between body composition, weight-related health conditions, and incident functional limitation in older adults. Health ABC enrolled well-functioning, community-dwelling black (n=1281) and white (n=1794) men and women aged 70-79 years between April 1997 and June 1998. Participants were recruited from a random sample of white and all black Medicare eligible residents in the Pittsburgh, PA, and Memphis, TN, metropolitan areas. Participants have undergone annual exams and semi-annual phone interviews. A total of 1499 Whites and 869 African American participants who attended the second exam in 1998-1999, and who had available genotyping and food frequency data were eligible for the current study. / http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/ScientificResources/HealthABCDescription.htm
Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS)
USA / The HPFS is a prospective cohort study of 51,529 U.S. male health professionals who were 40 to 75 year old at study inception in 1986. Between 1993 and 1999, 18,159 men provided blood samples. Information about medical history, lifestyle and disease has been collected biennially by self-administered questionnaires every 2 years since inception. In the current analysis, a total of 2326 men of genetically inferred European ancestry who had available genotype data and dietary intake information were included. / http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hpfs/
Rimm EB, Giovannucci EL, Willett WC, et al. Prospective study of alcohol consumption and risk of coronary disease in men. Lancet. 1991;338(8765):464-468
Invecchiare in Chianti (aging in the Chianti area, InCHIANTI)
Italy / InCHIANTI is a population-based study designed to evaluate the factors that influence mobility in older people in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. A total of 1,616 residents were selected from the population registry of Greve (a rural area: 11,709 residents with 19.3% of the population greater than 65 years of age), and Bagno a Ripoli (Antella village near Florence; 4,704 inhabitants, with 20.3% greater than 65 years of age). The participation rate was 90% (n=1453), and the participants ranged between 21-102 years of age. For the present study, 1100 adults with available DNA and who provided complete dietary information were eligible for the current study. / http://www.inchiantistudy.net/bindex.html
Ferrucci L, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 48:1618-1625, 2000
Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)
USA / The MESA is a cohort study designed to investigate the characteristics of subclinical cardiovascular disease and the risk factors that predict progression to clinically overt cardiovascular disease or progression of the subclinical disease. MESA comprises a diverse, population-based sample of 6,814 asymptomatic men and women aged 45-84. Thirty-eight percent of the recruited participants are Caucasian, 28 percent African-American, 22 percent Hispanic, and 12 percent Asian, predominantly of Chinese descent. Participants were recruited from six field centers across the United States: Wake Forest University, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and University of California - Los Angeles. In the current analysis data were included from up to 2,289 Caucasians and 1,305 African Americans with valid dietary information and consent to share genetic data. / http://www.mesa-nhlbi.org/moreinfo.aspx
Bild DE, Bluemke DA, Burke GL, Detrano R, Diez Roux AV, Folsom AR, Greenland P, Jacob DR, Jr., Kronmal R, Liu K, Nelson JC, O'Leary D, Saad MF, Shea S, Szklo M, Tracy RP. Multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis: objectives and design. Am J Epidemiol. 2002;156(9):871-881
Nurses Health Study (NHS)
USA / The NHS is a prospective cohort study of 121,700 female registered nurses who were 30–55 year old at study inception in 1976. A total of 32,826 women provided blood samples between 1989 and 1990. Information about medical history, lifestyle and disease has been collected biennially by self-administered questionnaires every 2 years since inception. In the current analysis, a total of 3065 women of genetically inferred European ancestry who had available genotype data and dietary intake information were included. / http://www.channing.harvard.edu/nhs/
Colditz, G.A., Manson, J.E. and Hankinson, S.E. (1997) The Nurses' Health Study: 20-year contribution to the understanding of health among women. J Womens Health, 6, 49-62.
Rotterdam Study (ROT)
Netherlands / The Rotterdam Study is a prospective population-based cohort study designed to investigate the prevalence and incidence of and risk factors for chronic diseases in the elderly. The baseline exam was conducted between 1990 and 1993 in Ommoord, a suburb of Rotterdam. A total of 7,983 adults, aged 55 years and over, participated in the study. A total of 4576 adults with available DNA, valid dietary information, and consent to share genetic data were eligible for the current analysis. / http://www.epib.nl/research/ergo.htm
Hofman A, et al. Eur J Epidemiol. 24(9):553-572, 2009
Young Finns Study
(YFS)
Finland / The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS) is a population-based 27 year follow up-study. The first cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1980, when 3,596 Caucasian subjects aged 3-18 years participated. In adulthood, the latest 27-year follow-up study was conducted in 2007 (ages 30-45 years) with 2,204 participants. The study cohort for the present analysis comprised subjects who had participated in the study in 2007 and had validated dietary data from FFQ, available genotype and other risk factor data. The study was approved by the local Ethical Committees and was performed according to Helsinki declaration. / http://med.utu.fi/cardio/youngfinnsstudy/.
Raitakari OT et al. Cohort profile. Int. J Epidemiol. 2008;37:1220-6.
Supplementary Table 2. Dietary assessment methods
Description
Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) / An interviewer-administered, 66-item semi-quantitative FFQ that was modified from the validated Willett 61-item FFQ (19) (modifications described elsewhere (20)). Participants were asked to indicate how often, on average, they consumed various foods and beverages over the past year according to 9 frequency categories, ranging from never or <1 time/mo to ≥6 times/d. Standard portion sizes given as a reference for intake estimation. Supplementary questions included regarding frequency of fried food consumption and brand name of the breakfast cereal most commonly consumed (open-ended response). Dietary information was judged as unreliable and excluded from further analysis if total energy intake was estimated to be <500 or >3600 kcal for women and <600 or >4200 kcal for men or if 10 or more items of the FFQ were unanswered.
Related References: Willett WC, et al. Am J Epidemiol. Jul 1985;122(1):51-65.
Stevens J et al. Nutrition Research 1996;16: 735-745.
Cardiovascular Health Study
(CHS) / Usual dietary intake was assessed using a 99-item picture-sort version of the National Cancer Institute FFQ in 1989-90, and the validated 131-item Willett FFQ in 1992-93. The FFQ were self-administered. Participants were asked to indicate how often, on average, they consumed various foods and beverages over the past year according to 9 frequency categories, ranging from never to 5 times per week (picture-sort) or from <1 time/mo to ≥6 times/d (Willett FFQ). Dietary information was judged as unreliable and excluded from further analysis if calculated total kilocalories were < 500 or > 5000 kcal/d.
Related References: Kumanyika S, et al. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996 Feb;96(2):137-44.; Rimm EB, et al. Am J. Epi. 1992;135:1114-26
European Prospective Investigation of Cancer Norfolk (EPIC Norfolk) / Diet was assessed by a validated self-administered 130-item semi-quantitative FFQ that included lists of foods to reflect important sources of nutrients in the average British diet. Participants were asked to indicate how often, on average, they consumed various foods and beverages over the past year according to 9 frequency categories, ranging from never or <1 per month to ≥6 times per day. Portion sizes were specified. Intake of foods and nutrients were estimated in grams per day.
Family Heart Study
(FamHS) / A 66-item questionnaire modified from the Willett FFQ administered by trained interviewers. Participants were asked to indicate how often, on average, they consumed various foods and beverages over the past year according to 9 frequency categories, ranging from never of <1 time/mo to ≥6 times/d. Portion sizes were specified. Dietary information was judged as unreliable and excluded from further analysis if reported energy intakes were <3347.2 kJ/day (799.3 kcal/day) or >17572.8 kJ/day (4196.4 kcal/day) for men and <2510.4 kJ/d (599.5 kcal/day) or >14644 kJ/day (3497 kcal/day) for women.
Related References: Stein AD et al. Am J Epidemiol 1992;135(6):667-677.
Willett WC, et al. Am J Epidemiol. Jul 1985;122(1):51-65.
Fenland / Diet was assessed by a validated self-administered 130-item semi-quantitative FFQ that included lists of foods to reflect important sources of nutrients in the average British diet. Participants were asked to indicate how often, on average, they consumed various foods and beverages over the past year according to 9 frequency categories, ranging from never or <1 per month to ≥6 times per day. Portion sizes were specified. Intake of foods and nutrients were estimated in grams per day.