Hertfordshire Cohort Study
The principal objective of the Hertfordshire Cohort Study is to evaluate interactions between the genome, the intrauterine and early postnatal environment, and adult diet and lifestyle in the aetiology of chronic disorders in later life (cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes mellitus and obesity; osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and sarcopenia). The study aims to place these interactions within a life-course model for disease pathogenesis, and to characterize the physiological mechanisms underlying the pathways to these chronic disorders e.g. resetting of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal and GH/IGF-I axes.
- Start Year
- 1931
- End Year
- 2004
Visit HCS
| Investigators | Contacts |
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Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Follow Up
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In 1998, the NHSCR was used to trace 21,063 men and women born in Hertfordshire between 1931 and 1939, for whom birth and infancy data had been recorded. The NHSCR identified 8,650 men and women as still resident in the county; of these 7,106 were registered with a GP. We obtained GP permission to contact 6,099 men and women; 3,225 of these agreed to participate in a home interview and 2,997 also attended a clinic at which their demographic, socioeconomic, health and lifestyle characteristics were identified. The baseline visits and clinics were phased by region of the county and were completed between late 1998 and 2004. A subset of 966 of the men and women resident in East Hertfordshire also underwent a baseline DXA scan; 642 of these subsequently participated in a four year follow-up study of musculoskeletal outcomes (bone loss rates, fracture, falls, sarcopenia, and frailty).
With their consent, the entire cohort of 2,997 men and women who participated in the baseline clinic are being followed up through primary care and hospital records for clinical outcomes including incident coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic airflow obstruction and fracture. The cohort members are flagged with the NHS Central Register for notification of deaths.
Marker Paper
Syddall HE, Aihie Sayer A, Dennison EM, Martin HJ, Barker DJ, Cooper C. Cohort profile: the Hertfordshire cohort study. Int J Epidemiol. 2005 Dec;34(6):1234-42. Epub 2005 Jun 17.
PUBMED 15964908
Recruitment
- Recruitment Target
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- Individuals
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 6,099
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 2,997
- Supplementary Information
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Baseline: 6099 participants
Home interviews: 3325 participants
Clinic visits: 2997 participants
DXA scans: 966 participants
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
Timeline
HCS population
The HCS popoulation consists of men and women born between 1931 and 1939 in Hertfordshire.
Selection Criteria
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
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- United Kingdom
- Territory
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Hertfordshire
- Ethnic Origin
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- Health Status
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Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
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- General population
- General Population
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- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
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Follow-up of surviving sample from 6099 Hertfordshire 1931-1939 birth and infant development ledgers.
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 6,099
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 2,997
- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
-
Baseline: 6099 participants
Home interviews: 3225 participants
Clinic visits: 2997 participants
DXA scans: 966 participants
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
HCS - Baseline
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Baseline assessment of participants during the age of 0-5 years. Early life measures (weight at birth, method of infant feeding, weight at one year of age, illness and development to age ... |
1931 | 1939 |
| 1 |
HCS - Follow-up
|
The first follow-up was conducted in 1998-2004 when the participants ranged from 59 to 73 years of age. Data were collected from home interviews, clinic assessments and dual energy X-ray ... |
1998 | 2004 |
Classifications
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Diseases
- Symptoms and signs
- Medication and supplements
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Health and community care services utilization
- Death
- Physical measures and assessments
- Laboratory measures
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Preschool, school and work life
- Social environment and relationships
- Physical environment
- Administrative information
- Cognitive functioning
- Personality
- Psychological distress and emotions
- Other psychological measures and assessments
- Life events
- Beliefs and values
- Perception of health
- Quality of life
- Life course development
- Functional limitations
- Other perception of health, quality of life and functional limitation-related information
- Tobacco
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Nutrition
- Breastfeeding
- Physical activity
- Sleep
- Sexual behaviours and orientation
- Technological devices
- Misbehaviour and criminality
- Other and unspecified lifestyle information
Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Lifestyle and behaviours
Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
Diseases
Symptoms and signs
Medication and supplements
Non-pharmacological interventions
Health and community care services utilization
Death
Physical measures and assessments
Laboratory measures
Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
Preschool, school and work life
Social environment and relationships
Physical environment
Administrative information
Psychological distress and emotions
Beliefs and values
Quality of life
Life course development
Nutrition