Characteristics of cohorts of the Obesity and Disease Development Sweden (ODDS) Study*
| Cohort | Description | Individuals, n (% male) | Assessments, n (% male) | Year, median (range) | Age in years, median (range) | N (%) individuals with at least one assessment of: | ||
| Objectively measured weight | Smoking status | Waist circumference | ||||||
| Swedish Medical Birth Register19 | Includes ~98% of all births in Sweden. The mother’s weight is measured at the first antenatal care visit, commonly at 8–10 gestational weeks. Since 1992, weight is missing for <15% | 1 855 606 (0) | 3 208 127 (0) | 2003 (1982–2019) | 29 (17–54) | 1 855 606 (100) | 94 555 (5) | 0 (0) |
| Swedish Military Conscription Register20 | In Sweden, conscription was mandatory for men aged ~18 years until 2010 and was then voluntary until 2017. The male birth cohorts of 1951–1988 cover 90% of the target population, with ≤5% missing weight before 2000 | 1 790 751 (99) | 1 799 609 (99) | 1987 (1969–2014) | 18 (17–58) | 1 790 751 (100) | 190 197 (11) | 0 (0) |
| Construction Workers Cohort21 | Construction workers were invited on a regular basis to a health check-up through a collective agreement that concerned almost all construction workers in Sweden. Attendance: ≥80% | 387 545 (95) | 1 149 722 (96) | 1981 (1971–1993) | 37 (17–82) | 387 545 (100) | 333 100 (86) | 0 (0) |
| NSHDS22 | Population-based cohorts in the northernmost counties of Sweden: Norrbotten and Västerbotten | 138 379 (47) | 254 441 (40) | 2002 (1985–2020) | 50 (18–82) | 132 369 (96) | 131 734 (95) | 97 061 (70) |
| VIP23 | All residents of Västerbotten county are invited to a health check-up at 40, 50 and 60 years of age (and 30 years until 1996). Attendance: 48%–67% | 124 200 (49) | 194 650 (49) | 2005 (1985–2020) | 49 (19–70) | 124 200 (100) | 123 216 (99) | 87 538 (70) |
| MONICA24 | Seven health screenings aimed for research were performed in random selections (within specific ages) of residents of Norrbotten and Västerbotten counties. Attendance: 67%–81% in 1986–2009 | 12 260 (49) | 16 097 (49) | 1999 (1986–2014) | 51 (24–79) | 12 260 (100) | 12 245 (>99) | 12 235 (>99) |
| MSP25 | A questionnaire aimed for research was filled in connection with mammography screening offered every 2–3 years to women aged ~50–70 years in Västerbotten county. Attendance: ~85% | 25 836 (0) | 43 694 (0) | 1999 (1995–2006) | 58 (18–82) | 0 (0) | 20 026 (78) | 0 (0) |
| SIMPLER26 | Population-based cohorts in counties of southeastern Sweden: Uppsala, Västmanland and Örebro | 106 391 (43) | 237 966 (39) | 1997 (1987–2019) | 64 (38–103) | 0 (0) | 89 598 (84) | 81 462 (77) |
| SMC | All women born 1914/1917–1948, residing in Västmanland and Uppsala counties were invited to mammography screening that included a questionnaire aimed for research, with subsequent follow-ups. Attendance at baseline: 70% | 60 709 (0) | 145 234 (0) | 1997 (1987–2019) | 62 (38–103) | 0 (0) | 44 121 (73) | 40 338 (66) |
| COSM | All men born 1918–1952 residing in Västmanland and Örebro counties were invited to fill in a research-based questionnaire, with subsequent follow-ups. Attendance at baseline: 49% | 45 682 (100) | 92 732 (100) | 2008 (1997–2019) | 67 (42–101) | 0 (0) | 45 477 (>99) | 41 124 (90) |
| Swedish Twin Registry27 28 | Research-based register on mono and dizygotic twins across all of Sweden | 97 533 (46) | 154 666 (45) | 1999 (1963–2014) | 48 (17–99) | 12 360 (13) | 90 182 (92) | 12 328 (13) |
| Q63, 67, 70 | All same-sex twins born 1886–1925 were invited to fill in a questionnaire (not including weight) in 1960. Follow-up questionnaires were sent out three times during the subsequent 10 years (Q63, 67 and 70) | 20 312 (44) | 42 347 (41) | 1967 (1963–1970) | 53 (37–84) | 0 (0) | 17 986 (89) | 0 (0) |
| Q73 | All same-sex twins born 1926–1958 were invited to fill in a questionnaire in 1973. Attendance: ~83% | 27 595 (48) | 27 595 (48) | 1973 (1973–1973) | 29 (17–47) | 0 (0) | 27 507 (>99) | 0 (0) |
| SALT | All twins born 1944–58 were invited to a phone interview. Attendance: ~65% | 42 754 (47) | 42 754 (47) | 2000 (1998–2003) | 56 (41–99) | (0) | 42 234 (99) | 0 (0) |
| TwinGene | Twin pairs in SALT were invited to a follow-up investigation. Attendance: ~65% | 12 360 (45) | 12 360 (45) | 2006 (2002–2009) | 64 (47–93) | 12 360 (100) | 12 237 (99) | 12 328 (>99) |
| STAGE | All twin pairs born 1958–1985 were invited to a web-based survey. Attendance: ~60% | 23 448 (44) | 23 448 (44) | 2005 (2004–2006) | 34 (19–47) | 0 (0) | 23 230 (99) | 0 (0) |
| YATSS | All twin pairs born 1986–1992 were invited to a web-based survey. Attendance: ~42% | 6162 (40) | 6162 (40) | 2013 (2013–2014) | 24 (20–28) | 0 (0) | 1988 (32) | 0 (0) |
| Malmö cohorts | Population-based cohorts in Malmö city in southern Sweden (MPP and MDCS) and offspring of MDCS participants (MOS) | 54 876 (53) | 124 442 (54) | 1995 (1974–2019) | 56 (18–85) | 54 860 (>99) | 48 392 (88) | 36 170 (66) |
| MPP29 30 | All residents of Malmö city, born in certain years, 1921–1949, were invited for screening for CVD and alcohol abuse, with subsequent follow-ups of all or a selected population. Attendance at baseline: ~71% | 33 337 (67) | 59 427 (70) | 1983 (1974–2006) | 53 (26–85) | 33 337 (100) | 28 294 (85) | 4506 (14) |
| MDCS31 | All residents of Malmö city, born in certain years, 1926–1950, were invited to a health examination aimed for research on diet and cancer, with subsequent follow-ups of all or a selected population. Attendance at baseline: ~41% | 30 415 (40) | 60 792 (39) | 1997 (1991–2012) | 61 (44–85) | 30 390 (>99) | 29 280 (96) | 30 373 (>99) |
| MOS32 | Children and grandchildren of a random sample of MDCS participants were invited to a health examination for research purposes | 4223 (48) | 4223 (48) | 2016 (2013–2019) | 44 (18–73) | 4223 (100) | 3799 (90) | 4202 (>99) |
| Women’s Lifestyle and Health33 | Randomly selected women born 1943–1962 residing in Uppsala county were invited to fill in a questionnaire aimed for research on lifestyle and cancer and CVD, and to one subsequent follow-up. Attendance at baseline: 51% | 48 720 (0) | 82 140 (0) | 1992 (1991–2004) | 44 (27–61) | 0 (0) | 40 840 (84) | 43 132 (89) |
| Swedish National March Cohort34 | In 1997, a fund-raising event for the Swedish Cancer Society took place in ~3600 places across Sweden. Participants were requested to fill in a questionnaire aimed for research on lifestyle and chronic diseases | 41 710 (36) | 41 710 (36) | 1997 (1997–1997) | 52 (17–93) | 0 (0) | 35 801 (86) | 31 893 (76) |
| West Sweden Asthma Study35 | In 2008 and 2016, random selections of residents of western Sweden were invited to fill in a questionnaire aimed for research on asthma and respiratory diseases. Attendance: 62% and 50%, respectively | 41 276 (46) | 53 231 (45) | 2016 (2008–2016) | 51 (17–83) | 0 (0) | 40 506 (98) | 0 (0) |
| WICTORY36 | Residents of Västmanland county, born 1940–1959, were invited to a health check-up at age ~40 or 50 years, aimed for CVD prevention. Attendance: ~60% | 33 892 (48) | 33 892 (48) | 1994 (1989–2000) | 49 (35–55) | 33 892 (100) | 33 579 (99) | 33 860 (>99) |
| LifeGene37 | Residents across Sweden were invited through randomisation (~44%), or in other ways, for example, shared household with the one invited, or volunteering, to a health examination and a web-based survey for research purposes | 30 039 (41) | 30 039 (41) | 2011 (2009–2018) | 33 (17–96) | 28 861 (96) | 16 407 (55) | 28 861 (96) |
| EpiHealth38 39 | Randomly selected ~45–75-year-old residents of Uppsala and Malmö city were invited to a health examination and a web-based survey for research on gene–diet interactions and diseases. Attendance: ~20% | 25 337 (44) | 25 337 (44) | 2014 (2011–2018) | 61 (35–78) | 25 337 (100) | 18 416 (73) | 25 337 (100) |
| Melanoma in Southern Sweden40 | Randomly selected women with no prior cancer, ~25–64 years, residing in Southern Sweden, were in 1990–1992 invited to fill in a questionnaire (not including weight) aimed for research on malignant melanoma and female cancers. A follow-up questionnaire included weight. Attendance at baseline: 74% | 22 974 (0) | 22 974 (0) | 2001 (1999–2004) | 54 (35–76) | 0 (0) | 2399 (10) | 0 (0) |
| Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden41 42 | In separate surveys (five in ODDS), randomly selected adults of specific ages, residing in Norrbotten county, were invited to a health examination and follow-ups, or to fill in a questionnaire (2016), aimed for research on asthma and respiratory diseases. Attendance at baseline: 66%–91% | 12 395 (49) | 15 386 (49) | 2004 (1986–2016) | 53 (19–85) | 5853 (47) | 12 241 (99) | 0 (0) |
*The numbers include overlap of individuals between cohorts, and only objectively measured or self-reported current weight. Recalled weight is available in 225 331 individuals with 500 219 recalled weights in: SIMPLER, Swedish Twin Registry (Q67 and Q70), MDCS, MOS, Women’s Lifestyle and Health, Swedish National March Cohort, EpiHealth and Melanoma in Southern Sweden, included in table 3.
COSM, Cohort of Swedish Men; CVD, cardiovascular disease; MDCS, Malmö Diet and Cancer Study; MONICA, Monitoring of Trends of Cardiovascular disease study in Northern Sweden; MOS, Malmö Offspring Study; MPP, Malmö Preventive Project; MSP, Mammography Screening Project; NSHDS, Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study; SALT, Screening Across the Lifespan Twin Study; SIMPLER, Swedish Infrastructure for Medical Population-Based Life-Course and Environmental Research; SMC, Swedish Mammography Cohort; STAGE, Study of Twin Adults: Genes and Environment; VIP, Västerbotten Intervention Programme; WICTORY, Westmannia Cardiovascular Risk Factors Study; YATSS, Young Adult Twins in Sweden Study.