Publications

The association between mental health and shift work: Findings from the Atlantic PATH study

Authors: Ellen Sweeney, Yunsong Cui, Zhijie Michael Yu, Trevor Dummer, Vanessa DeClercq, Cynthia Forbes, Scott Grandy, Melanie Keats, Anil Adisesh

This study found that shift workers reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and lower self-rated health than non-shift workers. Shift workers were more likely to report major depression and poor self-rated health, and female shift workers were more likely to report depressive symptoms and poor self-rated health.

Metabolomics and cancer preventive behaviors in the BC Generations Project

Authors: J. Qi, J. J. Spinelli, T. J. B. Dummer, P. Bhatti, M. C. Playdon, J. Olin Levitt, B. Hauner, S. C. Moore & R. A. Murphy

To better understand links between behaviours and cancer, researchers measured metabolites in blood samples from 1,319 BC Generations Project participants. The study found a large number of metabolites were different between health behaviours. Highlights include lower levels of metabolites that are involved in pathways that play a role in cancer development among participants who consumed more fruits and vegetables and had a healthy body weight.

Associations between neighbourhood built characteristics and sedentary behaviours among Canadian men and women: findings from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project

Authors: Vikram Nichani, Liam Turley, Jennifer E. Vena, Gavin R. McCormack

This study examined associations between the objective neighbourhood built environment and self-reported sedentary behaviour. Researchers sourced data from 14,785 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants. 3-way intersections, high population counts, and high walkability resulted in more sitting time, and low connectivity and low walkability resulted in more sitting time in motor vehicles.

Epidemiological characteristics of the COVID-19 spring outbreak in Quebec, Canada: a population-based study

Authors: Rodolphe Jantzen, Nolwenn Noisel, Sophie Camilleri-Broet, Catherine Labbe, Thibault de Malliard, Yves Payette, Philippe Broet

This study examined the epidemiological and socio-economic impact of the spring 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 on the Quebec population. An online survey of the participants of CARTaGENE was conducted, with 8,129 respondents. The study found some discrepancies between the symptoms associated with being tested and being positive. The results also emphasize the need for increasing the accessibility of testing for the general population.

The effect of different methods to identify, and scenarios used to address energy intake misestimation on dietary patterns derived by cluster analysis

Authors: Geraldine Lo Siou, Alianu Akawung, Nathan Solbak, Kathryn McDonald, Ala Al Rajabi, Heather Whelan, Sharon Kirkpatrick

This study used self-reported food frequency and physical activity data from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants to compare the revised-Goldberg and the predicted total energy expenditure methods in their ability to identify misreporters of energy intake.

Validation of breast cancer risk assessment tools on a French-Canadian population-based cohort

Authors: Rodolphe Jantzen, Yves Payette, Thibault de Malliard, Catherine Labbe, Nolwenn Noisel, Philippe Broet

This study evaluated the use of the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT), International Breast Cancer Intervention Study risk evaluation tool (IBIS), Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) and combined scores to predict the occurrence of invasive breast cancers at 5 years in a French-Canadian population.

Towards refining World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake: insights from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort

Authors: Ala Al Rajabi, Geraldine Lo Siou, Alianu K. Akawung, Kathryn McDonald, Tiffany R. Price, Grace Shen-Tu, Paula J. Robson, Paul J. Veugelers, Katerina Maximova

This study examined the associations of processed meat derived from red versus non-red meats with cancer risk in the Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort of 26 218 adults who reported dietary intake using the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire. Incidence of cancer was obtained through data linkage with the Alberta Cancer Registry.

A longitudinal residential relocation study of changes in street layout and physical activity

Researchers sourced data from 5,944 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants to estimate physical activity differences between non-movers and movers – those moving to neighbourhoods with less or more integrated street layouts. They found that moving to more integrated areas led to more leisure walking and more moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity.

A Prospective Analysis of Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Breast Cancer Risk in 2 Provinces in Canada

Authors: Marnie Newell, Sunita Ghosh, Susan Goruk, Mohammedreza Pakseresht, Jennifer Vena, Trevor Dummer, Catherine Field

This study compared participants from BCGP and ATP and examined whether there was an association between fatty acid status and the risk of breast cancer, including location, menopausal status, and waist-to-hip ratio as key variables. Findings suggest that regional variations in fatty acid status influence breast cancer risk and highlights the complexity and difficulty in using fatty acid status to predict breast cancer risk in diverse populations without the consideration of other risk factors.

An examination of the role of socioeconomic status in the relationship between depression and prostate cancer survivorship in a population-based sample of men from Atlantic Canada

Authors: Gabriela Ilie, Robert Rutledge, Ellen Sweeney

This study found that the association of depression and prostate cancer still stands when the survivors of prostate cancer are compared to survivors of any other form of cancer, and further indicates that the association is moderated by household income.