The Nutrinet-Santé Study: a web-based prospective study on the relationship between nutrition and health and determinants of dietary patterns and nutritional status

Abstract

BackgroundNutrition-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer are of multiple origin, and may be due to genetic, biologic, behavioural and environmental factors. In order to detangle the specific role of nutritional factors, very large population sample cohort studies comprising precisely measured dietary intake and all necessary information for accurately assessing potential confounding factors are needed. Widespread use of internet is an opportunity to gradually collect huge amounts of data from a large sample of volunteers that can be automatically verified and processed. The objectives of the NutriNet-Santé study are: 1) to investigate the relationship between nutrition (nutrients, foods, dietary patterns, physical activity), mortality and health outcomes; and 2) to examine the determinants of dietary patterns and nutritional status (sociological, economic, cultural, biological, cognitive, perceptions, preferences, etc.), using a web-based approach.Methods/designOur web-based prospective cohort study is being conducted for a scheduled follow-up of 10 years. Using a dedicated web site, recruitment will be carried out for 5 years so as to register 500 000 volunteers aged ≥ 18 years among whom 60% are expected to be included (having complete baseline data) and followed-up for at least 5 years for 240 000 participants. Questionnaires administered via internet at baseline and each year thereafter will assess socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics, anthropometry, health status, physical activity and diet. Surveillance of health events will be implemented via questionnaires on hospitalisation and use of medication, and linkage with a national database on vital statistics. Biochemical samples and clinical examination will be collected in a subsample of volunteers.DiscussionSelf-administered data collection using internet as a complement to collection of biological data will enable identifying nutrition-related risks and protective factors, thereby more clearly elucidating determinants of nutritional status and their interactions. These are necessary steps for further refining nutritional recommendations aimed at improving the health status of populations.

2013 AHA/ACC Guideline on Lifestyle Management to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk

“…Over the past few years, increasing attention has been given to dietary patterns and their relationship to health outcomes such as CVD. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] In intervention studies, specific dietary patterns of defined macronutrient composition are identified on the basis of expert evidence and a priori hypothesis (eg, the DASH or MED patterns) and then are evaluated in RCTs. In observational studies, associations between intake and risk factors are assessed.…”

Sex and dieting modify the association between emotional eating and weight status

“…With the use of a dedicated website, the recruitment of adult volunteers (aged $18 y) is planned for 5 y with an additional follow-up of 10 y. The design, methods, and rationale of the study have been thoroughly described elsewhere (23). Briefly, to be included in the study, participants completed a set of questionnaires that focused on diet, physical activity, anthropometric measures, lifestyle, socioeconomic conditions, and health status.…”

Differential Associations of Walking and Cycling with Body Weight, Body Fat and Fat Distribution - the ACTI-Cités Project

“…Volunteers aged 18 years or older (age range 18-96 years) living in France (urban and rural areas) and having access to the internet fill in self-administered web-based questionnaires at baseline and then regularly during follow-up using a dedicated, secured website. A detailed description of the NutriNet-Santé study has been published previously [16]. …”

“…It has been shown in large cohort studies that walking and/or cycling were associated with lower body weight, obesity prevalence, and percent body fat [12,13,14,15]. In a recent study on data from the NutriNet-Santé Web-cohort [16], we showed that walking at least 30 min/day or practicing any amount of cycling was associated with a lower BMI among French adults [17]. As indicated by a recent meta-analysis based on 23 randomized controlled trials published up to September 2012 (for a total of 1,201 participants), results from intervention studies also showed that being in the walking group was associated with a significantly lower BMI [18].…”