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CompletedNCT03366532DietUpdated Dec 8, 2017

Dietary Analyses in the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study

An observational study in Type2 Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease and Morality, sponsored by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). Completed. Open to participants aged 21 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-12-08.

Sponsored by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
289,900
Ages
21 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

To determine the relationships of a variety of nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns with the subsequent risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in US men and women.

Read the detailed description

The Nurses' Health Study (NHS) consisted of 121,700 female registered nurses aged 30 to 55 years from 11 US states who were enrolled in 1976. The NHSII was initiated in 1989 with the recruitment of 116,671 younger female registered nurses, 24 to 44 years of age, from 14 states. The Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) was established in 1986 and was comprised of 51,529 US male health professionals ranging in age from 40 to 75 years at enrollment from 50 states.

Study investigators sent follow-up questionnaires biennially to participants to update information on past medical history as well as lifestyle factors. Validated food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were first sent in 1980 for the NHS, 1991 for the NHSII, and 1986 for the HPFS. Dietary assessments have been updated every 2-4 years since baseline. The FFQs collect information on average intake of each food item over the past year. It also specifies a common serving size for each item. Participants could select from one of nine intake frequency choices, ranging from less than once per month to six or more times per day. Participants also provided information on current use and dose of multivitamins and use of other vitamin supplements.

For these three cohorts, investigators repeatedly collected and updated information on several anthropometric and lifestyle factors such as weight, smoking status, alcohol use, coffee intake, and physical activity level. Information was also collected on several major risk factors.

Study subjects reported new diagnoses biennially. After obtaining permission from participants, their medical and pathological records were acquired. Study physicians blinded to questionnaire information reviewed these records to confirm diagnoses of coronary heart disease and stroke. Self-reported diabetes diagnoses are confirmed using a validated supplementary questionnaire on symptoms, blood glucose levels, and medication use. Deaths are identified through reports from next of kin, postal authorities, or by searching the National Death Index.

All investigations regarding dietary factors in relation to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality have been approved by the institutional review boards of both Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health.

02

Conditions studied

  • Type2 Diabetes
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Morality
  • Stroke

Keywords

  • diet
  • food frequency questionnaire
  • nutrient
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
21 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

The Nurses' Health Study (NHS) consisted of 121,700 female registered nurses enrolled in 1976. The NHSII was initiated in 1989 with the recruitment of 116,671 younger female registered nurses. The Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) was established in 1986 and was comprised of 51,529 US male health professionals.

Inclusion criteria

  • Returned baseline food frequency questionnaires (FFQs).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants who had died or reported a diagnosis of diabetes (including type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes for women), cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer at and before the baseline for the dietary analyses.
  • Participants who left more than 70 of the 131 food items blank on the baseline FFQ, reported unusual total energy intake levels (\<3,347 or >17,573 kJ/day for men, and \<2,092 or >14,644 kJ/day for women), or had missing baseline dietary information.
  • Participants who only completed the baseline questionnaire.
04

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
289,900 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Nurses' Health Study

    The NHS began in 1976 when 121,700 female nurses aged 33-55 years and residing in the United States responded to a baseline questionnaire.

    Other: Dietary assessments

  • Nurses' Health Study II

    The NHSII was initiated in 1989 with the recruitment of 116,671 younger female registered nurses, 24 to 44 years of age, from 14 states

    Other: Dietary assessments

  • Health Professionals Follow-Up Study

    The Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) was established in 1986 and was comprised of 51,529 US male health professionals ranging in age from 40 to 75 years at enrollment from 50 states

    Other: Dietary assessments

Interventions

  • OtherDietary assessments

    We use food frequency questionnaires to collect and update intake of foods and nutrients in observational studies. No intervention is involved.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Type 2 diabetes

    Type 2 diabetes

    Time frame: Since 1976, with active follow-up

  2. Cardiovascular disease

    Coronary heart disease and stroke

    Time frame: Since 1976, with active follow-up

  3. Mortality

    Deaths due to various causes

    Time frame: Since 1976, with active follow-up

06

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

07

References and documents

Publications

  • Belanger CF, Hennekens CH, Rosner B, Speizer FE. The nurses' health study. Am J Nurs. 1978 Jun;78(6):1039-40. No abstract available. PubMed 248266 ↗
  • Rimm EB, Giovannucci EL, Willett WC, Colditz GA, Ascherio A, Rosner B, Stampfer MJ. Prospective study of alcohol consumption and risk of coronary disease in men. Lancet. 1991 Aug 24;338(8765):464-8. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(91)90542-w. PubMed 1678444 ↗
  • Ma L, Liu G, Sampson L, Willett WC, Hu FB, Sun Q. Dietary glucosinolates and risk of type 2 diabetes in 3 prospective cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018 Apr 1;107(4):617-625. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy003. PubMed 29635498 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03366532
Lead sponsor
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
Collaborators
Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)
Responsible party
Qi Sun (Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 8, 2017
Start date
Aug 1980
Primary completion
Aug 2012
Completion
Aug 2012
Last update
Dec 8, 2017

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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