Publications

These publications are examples of research made possible with data from CanPath and its regional cohorts.

2023

Development and external validation of partial proportional odds risk prediction models for cancer stage at diagnosis among males and females in Canada

Authors: Timofei Biziaev, Michelle L. Aktary, Qinggang Wang, Thierry Chekouo, Parveen Bhatti, Lorraine Shack, Paula J. Robson, Karen A. Kopciuk

This study examined health patterns in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants before cancer diagnosis to find factors related to cancers caught early versus late. The researchers found factors then tested them in a similar group from the British Columbia Generations Project.

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2023

Time spent in the sun and the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a Canadian cohort study

Authors: Dylan E. O'Sullivan, Troy W. R. Hillier, Darren R. Brenner, Cheryl E. Peters, Will D. King

This study’s objective was to explore the relationship of sun behaviour patterns with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) risk. Using data from 79,803 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project, CARTaGENE, and Ontario Health Study participants, the researchers found a protective effect of moderate time spent in the sun on NHL risk

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2023

Urban design and cardio-metabolic risk factors

Authors: Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Koichiro Oka, Tomoki Nakaya, Jennifer Vena, Tyler Williamson, Hude Quan, Gavin R. McCormack

This study aimed to estimate associations between neighbourhood built environment metrics and cardiovascular health. Using data from 7171 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants, researchers found that a new measure of neighbourhood design showed lower blood pressure in men and lower risk of being overweight or obese in men and women, whereas traditional measures did not show this association.

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2023

Physical activity-induced alterations of the gut microbiota are BMI dependent

Authors: Shrushti Shah, Chunlong Mu, Shirin Moossavi, Grace Shen-Tu, Kristina Schlicht, Nathalie Rohmann, Corinna Geisler, Matthias Laudes, Andre Franke, Thomas Züllig, Harald Köfeler, Jane Shearer

Researchers assessed physical activity and hand-grip strength’s role in gut microbiome composition in middle-aged adults with normal and overweight body mass index. Data from 443 participants from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project suggest that BMI plays a significant role in modelling PA-induced changes in gut microbiota.

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2023

Associations between neighborhood walkability and walking following residential relocation: Findings from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project

Authors: Gavin R McCormack, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Jennifer E Vena, Koichiro Oka, Tomoki Nakaya, Jonathan Chapman, Ryan Martinson, Graham Matsalla

This study aimed to estimate whether changes in neighbourhood walkability resulting from residential relocation were associated with leisure, transportation, and total walking levels. Using data from 5,977 urban adults (non-movers, movers to less walkability, and movers to more walkability), researchers found that time spent walking at follow-up was lower among those who moved to less walkable neighbourhoods, suggesting that relocating to less walkable neighbourhoods could negatively affect health.

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2023

A comparison of machine learning algorithms and traditional regression-based statistical modeling for predicting hypertension incidence in a Canadian population

Authors: Mohammad Ziaul Islam Chowdhury, Alexander A Leung, Robin L Walker, Khokan C Sikdar, Maeve O'Beirne, Hude Quan, Tanvir C Turin

This study evaluates different machine learning algorithms and compares their predictive performance with conventional models to predict hypertension incidence using data from 18,322 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants. The study found little difference in predictive performance between the machine learning algorithms and the conventional Cox PH model. The results suggest that conventional regression-based models can perform similarly to machine learning algorithms with good predictive accuracy in a moderate dataset with a reasonable number of features.

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2022

Development and validation of a hypertension risk prediction model and construction of a risk score in a Canadian population

Authors: Mohammad Ziaul Islam Chowdhury, Alexander A Leung, Khokan C Sikdar, Maeve O'Beirne, Hude Quan, Tanvir C Turin

This study evaluates different machine learning algorithms and compares their predictive performance with conventional models to predict hypertension incidence using data from 18,322 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants. The study found little difference in predictive performance between the machine learning algorithms and the conventional Cox PH model. The results suggest that conventional regression-based models can perform similarly to machine learning algorithms with good predictive accuracy in a moderate dataset with a reasonable number of features.

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2022

Associations between neighbourhood street connectivity and sedentary behaviours in Canadian adults: Findings from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project

Authors: Vikram Nichani, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Koichiro Oka, Tomoki Nakaya, Ai Shibata, Kaori Ishii, Akitomo Yasunaga, Jennifer E Vena, Gavin R McCormack

Researchers aimed to estimate associations between street connectivity, based on space syntax-derived street integration, and sedentary behaviours. Using data from 14,758 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants, they found that connectivity was positively related to various measures of sitting time and negatively associated with motor vehicle travel time.

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2022

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the built environment and walking: effect modification by socioeconomic status

Authors: Chelsea D Christie, Christine M Friedenreich, Jennifer E Vena, Liam Turley, Gavin R McCormack

Using data from 703 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants, researchers found that changes to the built environment are not associated with changes in walking amongst adults after relocation. They also had weak findings that changes in walkability due to relocation may more strongly affect walking for adults with lower socioeconomic status.

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2022

A dietary carbohydrate – gut Parasutterella – human fatty acid biosynthesis metabolic axis in obesity and type 2 diabetes

Authors: Lea Henneke, Kristina Schlicht, Nadia A. Andreani, Tim Hollstein, Tobias Demetrowitsch, Carina Knappe, Katharina Hartmann, Julia Jensen-Kroll, Nathalie Rohmann, Daniela Pohlschneider, Corinna Geisler, Dominik M. Schulte, Ute Settgast, Kathrin Türk, Johannes Zimmermann, Christoph Kaleta, John F. Baines, Jane Shearer, Shrushti Shah, Grace Shen-Tu, Karin Schwarz, Andre Franke, Stefan Schreiber, Matthias Laudes

This study aimed to characterize Parasutterella, a gut bacteria, in a European cohort. 438 participants from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project were included to validate the results of this study. Researchers found that this bacteria have a role in type 2 diabetes and obesity.

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