GENERAL INFORMATION
|
Name
|
Black Women's Health Study
|
|
Acronym
|
BWHS
|
|
Last update
|
03/23/2010
|
Principal investigators
|
Julie R. Palmer (Sc.D.)
|
Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University
|
|
Lucile Adams-Campbell (Ph.D.)
|
Howard University Cancer Center
|
|
Lynn Rosenberg (Sc.D.)
|
Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University
|
Contact
|
Delia Russell
|
Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University
Boston
Phone:
617-734-6006
Email:
drussell@slone.bu.edu
|
Website
Funding agencies
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NIDDK: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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NIAID: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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NHLBI: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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NCI: National Cancer Institute
BACKGROUND
Black women have higher morbidity and mortality from many illnesses than white women, including cancer, hypertension, stroke, and lupus. There needs to be a better understanding of the causes of these illnesses and determinants of good health.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the study were to identify causes and preventives of cancer and other serious illnesses in black women.
METHODS
General design
|
Study design
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Cohort
|
|
Type of participants
|
Individuals
|
|
Target or final number of participants
|
59000
|
|
Target or final number of DNA
|
27000
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Participant selection / Characteristics of the population
Selection criteria
Gender
|
Women
|
Age
|
Minimun: 21 years
Maximun: 69 years
|
Country of residence
|
United States
(17 States)
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Ethnic origin (African American women)
|
Recruitment procedures
Most of participants were subscribers to magazines commonly read by Black women whereas a small number of participants were members of the National Education Association, US government workers, nurses.
Data Sources
|
|
Cross-sectional
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Repeated/continuous
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Questionnaires to participants/respondents
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|
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Direct physical measures
|
|
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Biological samples
|
|
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Medical paper
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Electronic databases
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Genealogical records
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|
Collection procedures
14 pages health questionnaire were filled out by participants
Follow up procedures
Every 2 years, participants filled out questionnaire to update information on risks factors and occurency of illnesses.
Baseline principal variables of interest
Health information
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Familial disease history
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Early life
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Women's health
-
Quality of life
Physical / Biochemical measures
Body structure measures
|
Biochemical measures
|
|
|
|
Sociodemographic Characteristics
Birth location
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Parents birth location
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Ethnicity/Race
|
Gender
|
Marital status
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Date of birth
|
Socioeconomic Characteristics
Education level
|
Income
|
Working status
|
|
Life habits / Behaviours
Physical activity
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Smoking / Tobacco Use
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Nutrition
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Alcohol intake
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Physical environment
Passive smoking
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Mobile phone use
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Sample management
Biological samples
Blood
|
Buccal cells
|
Cord blood
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Tissues
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Saliva
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Urine
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Biological samples format
|
|
Fresh
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Frozen
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Dried (paper)
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Other
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Specification
|
|
Buccal cells
|
|
|
|
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GOVERNANCE
|
|
Legend
Yes
No
|
Allow access to data or samples to external researchers
Data (questionnaire-derived, measured…)
|
Biological samples
|
STATUS
Current status
|
Phase
|
Start
|
End
|
|
Preparation phase/Pilot
|
--
|
--
|
|
Recruitment / initial data collection
|
1995
|
1995
|
|
Follow-up of participants
|
1995
|
--
|
|
Current number of participants recruited
|
59000
|
|
Current number of collected DNA samples
|
25000
|
AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS
PUBLICATIONS AND RELEVANT DOCUMENTATION
Publication url
http://www.bu.edu/bwhs/publications.htm
COMMENT
We will continue to apply for re-funding every 5 years until all study aims have been achieved.
General Information
|
Name
|
1997-1998 BWHS Questionnaire
|
|
Number of Question Blocks
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35
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Questionnaire and Question Block List
Click on the

to see the block of questions related to a domain or a group of domains.
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Block 1
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Sociodemographic Characteristics
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Age/Birth Date
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Subject age / birth date
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Block 2
-
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Socioeconomic Characteristics
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Working status
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Subject Working status/history
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Block 3
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-
Socioeconomic Characteristics
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Education level
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Subject education level
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Block 4
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Sociodemographic Characteristics
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Household Status
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Subjet Household Status
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Block 5
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Health Information
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Women's health
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Menstruation
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Block 6
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Health Information
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Reproductive history
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Block 7
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Health Information
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Reproductive history
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Number of children
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Health Information
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Reproductive history
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Parity/Gravidity
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Block 8
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Health Information
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Women's health
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Breast feeding
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Block 9
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Health Information
/
Reproductive history
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Block 10
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Health Information
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Medical Health Intervention (C239)
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Obstetrical and Fetal Interventions
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Termination of Pregnancy
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Health Information
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Reproductive history
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Block 11
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Health Information
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Individual Disease history
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Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
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Block 12
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Health Information
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Individual Disease history
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Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
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Health Information
/
Medical Health Intervention (C239)
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Physical/Physiological Therapeutic Interventions
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Therapeutic Interventions on the Genitourinary System
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Block 13
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Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
/
Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
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Health Information
/
Medical Health Intervention (C239)
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Physical/Physiological Therapeutic Interventions
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Therapeutic Interventions on the Genitourinary System
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Genito urinary system and sex hormones (G)
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Life Habits/Behaviours
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Sexual behaviours
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Block 14
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Health Information
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Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Genito urinary system and sex hormones (G)
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Block 15
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Health Information
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Medical Health Intervention (C239)
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Physical/Physiological Therapeutic Interventions
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Health Information
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Women's health
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Menopause
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Health Information
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Women's health
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Menstruation
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Block 16
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Genito urinary system and sex hormones (G)
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Block 17
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Blood and blood forming organs (B)
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Cardiovascular system (C)
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
/
Musculo-skeletal system (M)
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Alimentary tract and metabolism (A)
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Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
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Nervous system (N)
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Block 18
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Health Information
/
Medical Health Intervention (C239)
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Block 19
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Health Information
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Medical Health Intervention (C239)
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Diagnostic Imaging Interventions
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Diagnostic Imaging Interventions on the Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue, and Breast
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Block 20
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Health Information
/
Medical Health Intervention (C239)
/
Diagnostic Interventions
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Diagnostic Interventions on the Genitourinary System
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Health Information
/
Medical Health Intervention (C239)
/
Obstetrical and Fetal Interventions
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Health Information
/
Medical Health Intervention (C239)
/
Physical/Physiological Therapeutic Interventions
/
Therapeutic Interventions on the Genitourinary System
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Block 21
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-
Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
/
Diseases of the genitourinary system
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Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
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Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
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Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism
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Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
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Diseases of the circulatory system
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Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
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Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
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Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
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Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
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Health Information
/
Individual Disease history
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Neoplasms
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Block 22
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Life Habits/Behaviours
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Tobacco use
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Block 23
-
-
Health Information
/
Familial Disease History (ICD10*)
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Neoplasms
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Block 24
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-
Health Information
/
Familial Disease History (ICD10*)
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Diseases of the circulatory system
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Health Information
/
Familial Disease History (ICD10*)
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Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
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Block 25
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-
Life Habits/Behaviours
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Alcohol use
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Block 26
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Life Habits/Behaviours
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Physical activity
/
Activities/Exercise and Frequency
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Block 27
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-
Body structures
/
Anthropometric structures
/
Anthropometric measures
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Weight
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Body structures
/
Anthropometric structures
/
Anthropometric measures
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Body structures
/
Anthropometric structures
/
Anthropometric measures
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Height
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Block 28
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-
Health Information
/
Medication Intake (ATC/DDD)
/
Various
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Salt and Food Supplement
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Block 29
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-
Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
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Food intake and Frequency
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Fat Intake
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Block 30
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-
Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
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Nutritional Behaviours and Perception of Nutritional Habits
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Block 31
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-
Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
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Beverages (other than water or alcohol)
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Caffeine
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Cereals, Bread, Starches
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Fat Intake
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Meat, Eggs, Fish and Alternatives
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Life Habits/Behaviours
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Nutrition
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Food intake and Frequency
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Milk products
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Salt and Food Supplement
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
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Food intake and Frequency
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Sweets, Baked goods
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Life Habits/Behaviours
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Nutrition
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Food intake and Frequency
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Vegetables and Fruits
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Block 32
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Life Habits/Behaviours
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Nutrition
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Food intake and Frequency
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Cereals, Bread, Starches
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Fat Intake
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Salt and Food Supplement
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Life Habits/Behaviours
/
Nutrition
/
Food intake and Frequency
/
Vegetables and Fruits
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Block 33
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Social Environment
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Familial and social environment
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Sociodemographic Characteristics
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Household Status
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Structure of the Household
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Sociodemographic Characteristics
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Household Status
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Subjet Household Status
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Block 34
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Sociodemographic Characteristics
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Residence
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Current Residence
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Block 35
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Health Information
/
Medical Health Intervention (C239)
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Diagnostic Interventions
/
Diagnostic Interventions on the Cardiovascular System