One of Sweden’s largest health studies starting

The long-term study EpiHealth (Epidemiology for Health) is a large-scale research collaboration between Uppsala University and Lund University. The purpose is to map the causes of our most common public-health diseases that occur in middle-aged and elderly individuals, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer, dementia, depressions, lung diseases, and diabetes.

“Many of these diseases are partly hereditary, so we have to study not only environmental impact and lifestyle factors but also genes in order to understand why these disorders arise, so we can prevent and treat them in the future,” says Professor Lars Lind, who is directing the Uppsala part of the study.

Since it involves such a complicated interplay of diverse factors, the study must comprise a large number of subjects. Invitations will be sent to a random sample of inhabitants in Sweden aged 45-75 years, and the goal is to get 300,000 individuals to participate. Participation is entirely voluntary and includes submitting blood samples and responding to a questionnaire. The information will be saved in biobanks and databases for future studies, and it will also be followed up after a few years.

On April 26, a test center is opening at Bredgränd 14 in Uppsala, and in the autumn a similar center will open in Malmö in southern Sweden.

EpiHealth is funded within the framework of the government’s strategic grants that were announced for 24 research areas in January 2009 in order to “strengthen the global competitiveness of research over the long term and contribute to sustainable growth.” These grants are funding research of the highest international quality in each area.