Study Resources

Exposure follow-up

After their initial enrolment, cohort members were contacted at regular intervals every 3–5 years (depending on the country or centre) to obtain information on various aspects of lifestyle, which may change over time. These include dietary habits, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, weight, menstruation, pregnancies, menopausal status, and other variables. In addition, a series of questions inquired about participants’ health status. Information on lifestyle exposures during follow-up have been centralized at IARC in 2019. In this way, EPIC can establish whether meaningful changes in lifestyle exposures have occurred among study participants since recruitment.