Diabetes, Brain Infarcts, Cognition and Small Vessels in the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds Study
The CAHHM study collected brain and carotid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and two cognitive tests (DSST and MoCA) in a cross-sectional sample of 7,733 men and women. It was concluded that small vessel disease characterizes much of the relationship between diabetes and vascular brain injury. However, additional factors are required to disentangle the relationship between diabetes and cognitive impairment.
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hemoglobin A1c and breast cancer risk: a nested case–control study from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort
This study examined the associations between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), common biomarkers of inflammation and insulin resistance, respectively, with breast cancer risk, while adjusting for measures of excess body size. These data suggest that hsCRP may be associated with elevated breast cancer risk, independent of excess body size. However, elevated concentrations of HbA1c did not appear to increase breast cancer risk in apparently healthy women.
Diet Quality and Health Service Utilization for Depression: A Prospective Investigation of Adults in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project
This study investigated the association of depression with diet quality by studying dietary patterns of 25,016 participants in the Alberta cohort using data from the past year food frequency questionnaire. It was found that higher quality diets were associated with a lower number of physician visits for depression.
The Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds: How well does it reflect the Canadian population?
The representativeness of the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM-HSR) cohort was evaluated by comparing to region matched respondents of the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey Rapid Response module (CCHS-RR). CAHHM-HSR participants were older, more often women, more likely Chinese, and had higher education, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and cardiac testing than the general Canadian population. Despite these differences, the INTERHEART risk score was similar.
Co-consumption of Vegetables and Fruit, Whole Grains, and Fiber Reduces the Cancer Risk of Red and Processed Meat in a Large Prospective Cohort of Adults from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project
This study examined whether co-consumption of red and processed meat with key foods items and food constituents recommended for cancer prevention (vegetables and fruit, whole grains, and fiber) mitigates cancer incidence.
Premature Mortality due to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, and Leukemia in Canada: A Nationwide Analysis from 1980 to 2015
This study used a novel measure of average lifespan shortened (ALSS) to examine trends in premature mortality caused by hematological cancers in Canada from 1980 to 2015. Results from this study showed that patients with hematological cancers experienced prolonged survival over a 35-year period although the magnitude of these lifespan gains varied by types of hematological cancers.
Perceived susceptibility to developing cancer and screening for colorectal and prostate cancer: A longitudinal analysis of Alberta’s Tomorrow Project
This study looked at ATP participants screened between 2000-2008 to assess the association between perceived susceptibility of developing cancer and being screened via sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy and prostate-specific antigen. Findings suggest health promotion can focus on targeting and heightening personal perceived susceptibility of developing cancer in jurisdictions with low screening rates for colorectal or prostate cancer.
Associations between the neighbourhood characteristics and body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio: Findings from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project
This study estimated the associations between neighbourhood characteristics and self-reported body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) risk categories among Canadian men and women.
Reduced Cognitive Assessment Scores Among Individuals With Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Detected Vascular Brain Injury
This study investigated if scores on a cognitive screen were lower in individuals with higher cardiovascular risk, and those with covert vascular brain injury. Among a middle-aged community-dwelling population, scores on a cognitive screen were lower in individuals with higher cardiovascular risk factors or MRI vascular brain injury. Much of the population attributable risk of low cognitive scores can be attributed to lower educational attainment, higher cardiovascular risk factors, and MRI vascular brain injury.
The Epidemiology of Weight Perception: Perceived Versus Self-reported Actual Weight Status among Albertan Adults
They analyzed data from the Tomorrow Project from 7436 people in Alberta between the ages of 35-69 which looked at weight perception accuracy. It seemed that women were more accurate about determining whether they were overweight or not, whereas the men were not always aware.