Selected Studies
Studies to date have led to the publication of hundreds of peer-reviewed papers.
NHS researchers have examined the effect of exposures like smoking, oral contraceptive use, alcohol consumption, and diet on disease risk.
| Breast Cancer | Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)/Stroke | Colon Cancer | Hip Fracture | Cognitive Functioning | Eye Disease | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoking | No relation with past or current smoking | Strong positive association with CHD and stroke; risk reduced within 2-4 years of smoking cessation. | Increases risk of colon cancer | Increases risk of hip fracture for current smokers. Risk increases with greater number of cigarettes smoked per day. | Not examined. | Increases risk of cataracts and “wet” AMD (the most severe form of Age-related Macular Degeneration). |
| Oral Contraceptives | Current use increases risk. Past use no association. | Current use increases risk. Past use no association. | Reduces risk of colon cancer. | Not examined. | Not examined. | Reduces risk of “wet” AMD. |
| Alcohol | One or more drinks per day increases risk. | Moderate alcohol intake reduces the risk of CHD. | Two or more drinks per day increases risk. | High consumption increases the risk of hip fracture. However, low or moderate consumption is associated with greater bone density. | Moderate intake (½ –1 serving per day) reduces risk of cognitive impairment. | No relation to age related eye diseases. |
| Diet | Higher intake of red meat increases risk of premenopausal breast cancer. | A Mediterranean-type diet reduces risk of incident CHD and stroke. Fish intake reduces risk of stroke. Nut and wholegrain consumption reduces risk of CHD. Refined carbohydrates and trans fats increase risk. | Higher intakes of folate, vitamin B6, calcium and vitamin D reduces risk. High intake of red and processed meats increases risk. | Reduction of risk with calcium supplement use among women with low calcium diets; higher dietary calcium intake has no effect. Vitamin D intake reduces risk and retinol intake increases risk. | Higher vegetable intake, especially green leafy vegetables, reduces risk of cognitive impairment. | Some antioxidants reduce risk of cataracts and AMD. Higher intake of fish may reduce risk of cataracts and AMD. |
Read more about this topic: Nurses' Health Study
Famous quotes containing the words selected and/or studies:
“The best history is but like the art of Rembrandt; it casts a vivid light on certain selected causes, on those which were best and greatest; it leaves all the rest in shadow and unseen.”
—Walter Bagehot (1826–1877)
“Recent studies that have investigated maternal satisfaction have found this to be a better prediction of mother-child interaction than work status alone. More important for the overall quality of interaction with their children than simply whether the mother works or not, these studies suggest, is how satisfied the mother is with her role as worker or homemaker. Satisfied women are consistently more warm, involved, playful, stimulating and effective with their children than unsatisfied women.”
—Alison Clarke-Stewart (20th century)