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

TLDR

Nutrition-related chronic diseases stem from genetic, biological, behavioral, and environmental factors, and large, precisely measured cohort studies are required to isolate nutrition’s specific role; the widespread use of the internet offers a means to collect extensive data from volunteers. The study aims to examine how nutrition, physical activity, and dietary patterns influence mortality and health outcomes, and to identify the sociological, economic, cultural, biological, and cognitive determinants of dietary habits and nutritional status through a web-based prospective cohort. A web-based prospective cohort will recruit 500,000 adults over five years, enrolling 60 % with complete baseline data and following 240,000 participants for at least five years, collecting annual questionnaires on demographics, lifestyle, anthropometry, health, and diet, monitoring health events via hospitalisation and medication questionnaires and national vital statistics, and gathering biochemical samples and clinical exams in a subsample. These efforts are essential for refining nutritional recommendations to improve population health.

Abstract

Nutrition-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.Our 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.Self-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.