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Troms? Study

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Datasets -
Variables -
Start Year
1974
Supplementary Information
The Tromsø Study is affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT, The Arctic University of Norway.
Visit Tromso

Members

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Investigators Contacts
  • Professor Tom Wilsgaard
    UiT The Arctic University of Norway
  • Ellisiv Mathiesen
    University of Tromsø
  • Inger Njølstad
    University of Tromsø
  • Professor Sameline Grimsgaard
    UiT The Arctic University of Norway
  • Professor Sameline Grimsgaard
    UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Design

Study design
Cohort
Follow Up
The cohorts were linked to the Causes of Death Registry, to the Local Population Registers and to the discharge diagnosis registry of the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø using the personal identity number.
Supplementary Information
Deaths and cardiovascular events are followed up in the Tromsø 3 and 4 studies for the harmonized MORGAM data, see detailed information on follow-up procedures used for MORGAM data in MORGAM e-publications.

Marker Paper

Cohort profile: the Tromsø Study. Jacobsen BK, Eggen AE, Mathiesen EB, Wilsgaard T, Njølstad I. Int J Epidemiol. 2012 Aug;41(4):961-7. PMID: 21422063

The sixth survey of the Tromsø Study (Tromsø 6) in 2007-08: collaborative research in the interface between clinical medicine and epidemiology: study objectives, design, data collection procedures, and attendance in a multipurpose population-based health survey. Eggen AE, Mathiesen EB, Wilsgaard T, Jacobsen BK, Njølstad I. Scand J Public Health. 2013 Feb;41(1):65-80. PMID: 23341355

Hopstock LA, Grimsgaard S, Johansen H, Kanstad K, Wilsgaard T, Eggen AE. The seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (Tromsø7) 2015-2016: study design, data collection, attendance, and prevalence of risk factors and disease in a multipurpose population-based health survey. Scand J Public Health. 2022 Nov;50(7):919-929. doi: 10.1177/14034948221092294. PMID: 35509230;

PUBMED ?term=21422063%5BPMID%5D+OR+23341355%5BPMID%5D+OR+35509230%5BPMID%5D

Recruitment

Sources of Recruitment
  • Individuals

Number of participants

Number of participants
45,000
Number of participants with biosamples
45,000
Supplementary Information
Genomics available on 32 000 participants

Data Access

Availability of data and biosamples

Data
Biosamples
Other
Contacting participants for new data collection

Sector of research

Data Biosamples
Investigators from the public sector
Investigators from the private sector
Investigators from not-for-profit organization

Transfer

Data Biosamples
Can leave the study facility
Can leave the country

As a general rule, new data (which is collected in research projects) must be returned to the research database in the Tromsø Study

Description of the access procedures

Research projects can apply data for statistical analyses, biological material or admission to contact participants in the previous Tromsø studies via the study webpage. Local variables available are described in the NESSTAR program system.

For access to the harmonized MORGAM data from many MORGAM Centres, one should seek a collaboration with any of the Centre which can submit a publication proposal to the MORGAM/BiomarCaRE Steering Group.


Availability of access information

On the study website : https://uit.no/research/tromsostudy

By contacting the study representative

Yes
No
Not applicable
Don't know

Timeline

Populations

Selection Criteria
Gender
men
Minimum age
20
Maximum age
49
Countries
  • Norway
Territory
Tromsø, the regional centre of Northern Norway
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
Supplementary Information
All men born in 1925-1954 and living in the area were invited to the survey.

Recruitment

Sources of recruitment
  • General population
General Population
  • Selected sample

Number of participants

Number of participants
6,595
Number of participants with biosamples
6,500
Supplementary Information
Response rate to the study was 74%.
Data Collection Event
The baseline examination (questionnaire and health examination). The questionnaires included questions on diagnosed cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, symptoms of cardiovascular diseases, smoking habits and physical activity during work and leisure time. Measurements of height, weight and blood pressure were taken. A blood sample was also taken to measure serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and haemoglobin. The survey 1 is not included in the harmonized MORGAM data.

Local data available from questionnaires, various measurements and clinical examinations from all Tromsø surveys are described in detail in the page http://tromsoundersokelsen.uit.no/tromso/. The questionnaire forms and invitation letter used are available in the webpage of the study for download.

Start Date
1974
End Date
1974
Cardiovascular related diseases
  • Diabetes mellitus (E10-E14)
  • Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)
  • Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
Data sources
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Questionnaires
Biosamples
  • Blood
Data types
  • Sociodemographics
  • Lifestyle data
  • Biomarkers
  • Diseases and/or death
Data types - Omics
File formats
Sequencing Technology
Library strategy
Data types - Lifestyle data
Organ
Selection Criteria
Minimum age
20
Maximum age
54
Countries
  • Norway
Territory
Tromsø, the regional centre of Northern Norway
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
Supplementary Information
All men born in 1925-1959 and women born in 1930-1959 and living in the area were invited to the survey.

Recruitment

Number of participants

Number of participants
16,620
Number of participants with biosamples
16,000
Supplementary Information
8477 men and 8143 women participated, and the participation rate was 74%.
Data Collection Event
The baseline examination (questionnaire and health examination). The questionnaire included questions on diagnosed cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, symptoms of cardiovascular diseases, smoking habits and physical activity during work and leisure time. People who attended the study received another questionnaire on diet and illnesses. Measurements of height, weight and blood pressure were taken. X-ray examination of lung and heart was performed. A blood sample was taken to measure serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and the blood sugar level. The survey 2 is not included in the harmonized MORGAM data.

Local data available from questionnaires, various measurements and clinical examinations from all Tromsø surveys are described in detail in the page http://tromsoundersokelsen.uit.no/tromso/. The questionnaire forms and invitation letter used are available in the webpage of the study for download.

Start Date
1979
End Date
1980
Cardiovascular related diseases
  • Diabetes mellitus (E10-E14)
  • Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)
  • Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
Data sources
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Questionnaires
Biosamples
  • Blood
Data types
  • Sociodemographics
  • Lifestyle data
  • Biomarkers
  • Imaging
  • Diseases and/or death
Data types - Omics
File formats
Sequencing Technology
Library strategy
Data types - Lifestyle data
Organ
  • Heart
  • Other :
Heart
  • Xray
Other
  • Xray
Selection Criteria
Minimum age
12
Maximum age
67
Countries
  • Norway
Territory
Tromsø, the regional centre of Northern Norway.
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
Supplementary Information
All men born 1925 to 1966 and all women born 1930 to 1966 living in the area were invited to participate in the survey. A randomly selected 10 percent from the 12-19 age group (born 1967-1974) was also invited. The national population registry was used to define the study population. Also people who were included in the Family Intervention Study (in 1979-80) were invited.

Recruitment

Sources of recruitment
  • General population
  • Participants from existing studies
General Population
  • Selected sample
Participants from existing studies
  • Family Intervention Study

Number of participants

Number of participants
21,826
Number of participants with biosamples
21,000
Supplementary Information
The participation rate was 78 percent for men and 85 percent for women.
Data Collection Events
# Name Description Start End
0 Tromso Survey 3 Baseline examination (questionnaire and health examination). A brief questionnaire accompanied the invitation included questions on diagnosed cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, symptoms of ... 1986-08 1987-04
4 Tromso 3 Mortality and disease outcome follow-up in MORGAM data Follow-up for cardiovascular events and death in the harmonized MORGAM data. See the end-points followed up in [a MORGAM e-publication](https://www.thl.fi/publications/morgam/cohorts/full/norway/no... 1986-08 2010-12
Selection Criteria
Minimum age
24
Maximum age
97
Countries
  • Norway
Territory
Tromsø, the regional centre of Northern Norway.
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
Supplementary Information
Everyone living in the area aged 25 or older (born before 1970) was invited to participate.

Recruitment

Sources of recruitment
  • General population
Supplementary Information

Number of participants

Number of participants
27,158
Number of participants with biosamples
27,000
Supplementary Information
Response rate to the baseline survey was 72%. A total of 7907 individuals participated in the second visit.
Data Collection Events
# Name Description Start End
0 Tromso Survey 4 Baseline examination (questionnaire and health examination). A brief questionnaire accompanied the invitation including the questions on general health condition, diagnosed heart and ... 1994-09 1995-06
4 Tromso 4 Mortality and disease outcome follow-up in MORGAM data Follow-up for cardiovascular events and death in the harmonized MORGAM data. See the end-points followed up in [a MORGAM e-publication](https://www.thl.fi/publications/morgam/cohorts/full/norway/no... 1994-09 2010-12
Selection Criteria
Minimum age
30
Maximum age
89
Countries
  • Norway
Territory
Tromsø, the regional centre of Northern Norway.
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
Supplementary Information
Men and women in the Tromsø municipality who had participated in the special study in 1994-95 (the Tromsø Study Panel, Tromsø 4 study) were invited to the survey. Also people who the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) wanted to study (age groups: 30, 40, 45, 60 and 75 ) as part of its nationwide health study, were invited to the survey (the FHI panel).

Recruitment

Sources of recruitment
  • Participants from existing studies
Participants from existing studies
  • The Tromsø Study Panel
  • The FHI panel

Number of participants

Number of participants
8,138
Number of participants with biosamples
8,138
Supplementary Information
The attendance rate was high among people who had participated in the special study in Tromsø4 (the Tromsø Study panel), 89 %. However, the response rate was lower among people in the FHI panel and low among 30-year-old men, 57 % and 38 % respectively.
Data Collection Event
A three-page questionnaire accompanied the invitation. Different questionnaires were sent to people aged under 70 and those 70 years and elder. The questionnaires included questions on general state of health, diseases suffered by the respondent or their family, muscle pain and physical discomfort, use of the public health service, food habits and alcohol consumption, passive smoking and smoking habits, physical activity in leisure time, level of education and use of medicine. People who attended the study received another questionnaire that they were asked to complete and send back. Everyone who attended underwent a relatively simple medical examination comprising measuring height, weight, waist and hip circumference and blood pressure. A blood sample was also taken to measure serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. Members of the cohort that attended also in the Tromsø Survey 4, were invited to a much more comprehensive examination (second visit 2?4 weeks later). Examinations of visit 2 included ultrasound of carotid artery, echocardiography, electrocardiography, bone densitometry of the hip (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry DEXA), spirometry, and ultrasound examination of the abdominal aorta. The survey 5 is not included in the harmonized MORGAM data.

Local data available from questionnaires, various measurements and clinical examinations from all Tromsø surveys are described in detail in the page http://tromsoundersokelsen.uit.no/tromso/. The questionnaire forms and invitation letter used are available in the webpage of the study for download.

Start Date
2001
End Date
2001
Cardiovascular related diseases
  • Diabetes mellitus (E10-E14)
  • Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism and other lipidaemias (E78)
  • Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)
  • Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
  • Conduction disorders and cardiac arrythmias (I44-I49)
  • Diseases of the circulatory system falling into multiple categories
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
Data sources
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
Biosamples
  • Blood
Biosamples - MIABIS categories
  • DNA
  • Plasma
  • Serum
Data types
  • Sociodemographics
  • Lifestyle data
  • Biomarkers
  • ECG
  • Imaging
  • Diseases and/or death
Data types - Omics
File formats
Sequencing Technology
Library strategy
Data types - Lifestyle data
  • Nutrition
  • Physical activity
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol
Organ
  • Heart
  • Carotid
  • Bone
Heart
  • Ultrasound
Carotid artery
  • Ultrasound
Bone
  • Xray
Selection Criteria
Minimum age
30
Maximum age
87
Countries
  • Norway
Territory
Tromsø, the regional centre of Northern Norway
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
Supplementary Information
The following groups were invited to the study: 1) People who took part in the special study in the Tromsø 4. 2) A 10 % random sample of subjects aged 30-39 (born 1968-77). 3) All individuals aged 40-42 (born 1965-67) or 60-87 (born 1920-47). 4) A 40 % random sample of subjects aged 43-59 years (born 1948-64).

Recruitment

Sources of recruitment
  • General population
  • Participants from existing studies
General Population
  • Selected sample
Participants from existing studies
  • Tromsø4

Number of participants

Number of participants
12,984
Number of participants with biosamples
Supplementary Information
65.7 % of the invited population attended the survey.
Data Collection Event
A questionnaire (4 pages) was mailed together with the invitation including questions about general health status, diseases and diseases in the family, muscle pain, physical discomfort and mental distress, use of the public health service and medications, socioeconomic situation, physical activity in leisure time, smoking and alchol habits as well as food habits. Women were asked about, among other topics, parity, age at menarche and age at menopause. People who attended the study received another very comprehensive questionnaire that they were asked to complete and send back. Everyone who attended underwent a relatively simple medical examination comprising measuring height, weight, waist and hip circumference and blood pressure. A blood sample was also taken to measure serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. All individuals who had taken part in the special study in Tromsø4, who were aged 50-62 or 75-84 as well as a 20 % random sample of subjects aged 63-74 were invited to a more comprehensive examination (second visit 2-4 weeks later) in the same way as in the Tromsø4 and Tromsø5 surveys. Examinations of visit 2 included ultrasound of carotid artery, echocardiography, electrocardiography, bone densitometry of the hip (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry DEXA) and, spirometry. The survey 6 is not included in the harmonized MORGAM data.

Local data available from questionnaires, various measurements and clinical examinations from all Tromsø surveys are described in detail in the page http://tromsoundersokelsen.uit.no/tromso/. The questionnaire forms used are available in the webpage of the study for download.

Start Date
2007
End Date
2008
Cardiovascular related diseases
  • Diabetes mellitus (E10-E14)
  • Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism and other lipidaemias (E78)
  • Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)
  • Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
  • Conduction disorders and cardiac arrythmias (I44-I49)
  • Diseases of the circulatory system falling into multiple categories
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
Data sources
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
Biosamples
  • Blood
Biosamples - MIABIS categories
  • DNA
  • Plasma
  • Serum
Data types
  • Sociodemographics
  • Lifestyle data
  • Biomarkers
  • ECG
  • Imaging
  • Diseases and/or death
Data types - Omics
File formats
Sequencing Technology
Library strategy
Data types - Lifestyle data
  • Nutrition
  • Physical activity
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol
Organ
  • Carotid
  • Bone
Carotid artery
  • Ultrasound
Bone
  • Xray
Selection Criteria
Minimum age
40
Countries
  • Norway
Territory
Tromsø, the regional centre of Northern Norway
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
Supplementary Information
All inhabitants in Tromsø municipality aged 40 years or older (born before 1976) were sent an invitation by mail.

Recruitment

Sources of recruitment
  • General population

Number of participants

Number of participants
21,083
Number of participants with biosamples
21,000
Supplementary Information
Participation rate was 65%.
Data Collection Event
The baseline examination (questionnaire and health examination). Most previous research areas (in surveys 1-6) were expanded, including extension of mental health and trauma, and new questions about sexual health and illegal drug use. New research areas were clinical examinations of dental and oral health, collection of faecal samples for studies of normal bacterial flora and antibiotic resistance, and 24-hour urine samples for measurements of sodium and iodine intake. The invitation included a comprehensive study information brochure, the questionnaire 1 (Q1), questionnaire Q2 and the graphical index of pain questionnaire. Questionnaire Q1 and Q2 covered social demographics, mental and somatic health, symptoms and disease, use of medication and healthcare services, lifestyle, wellbeing, quality of life and travels. When attending at the Tromsø 7 examination site, the participants also received a comprehensive dietary questionnaire (FFQ) in paper-version to complete and return by mail. First visit (Part 1) All the participants in Tromsø7, went through a basic examination (first visit), which consisted of anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist and hip circumference), blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation, and biological sampling. Biological sampling included blood samples (for analysis of blood lipids, HbA1c, creatinine and many other), and in sub-samples, nose-throat samples and saliva. In addition, a clinical examination of pain sensitivity was conducted on all participants, and a clinical dental examination was conducted on a sub-sample (n=3800). Second visit (Part 2) A pre-defined sample of 13 000 people were invited for a second visit 3-4 weeks later including extended comprehensive examinations (second visit). The sample were randomly selected, with the exception of additionally including former Tromsø Study participants not already selected in the random selection process. Inviting people for a second visit was also done in Tromsø 4, Tromsø 5 and Tromsø 6. The sample selected for the second visit were given equipment to collect 3 days of urine and stool samples. At the second visit, more blood samples were taken including samples for RNA-analysis. Other tests included ECG, ultrasound carotid assessment, echocardiography, eye examinations, lung function tests (spirometry and pulse oximetry), recording of heart and lung sounds, DEXA-measurements of bone mineral density and body composition, physical function tests including grip strength and balance, as well as cognitive function tests. In addition, an accelerometer was handed out for a one-week data collection of objective measurement of physical activity. The survey 7 is included in the harmonized MORGAM data. This data collection event is identified by the round number 07 of the NOR-TRO Cohort 21 in the MORGAM data.

Local data available from questionnaires, various measurements and clinical examinations from all Tromsø surveys are described in detail in the page http://tromsoundersokelsen.uit.no/tromso/. The questionnaire forms used are available in the webpage of the study for download.

Start Date
2015
End Date
2016
Cardiovascular related diseases
  • Diabetes mellitus (E10-E14)
  • Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism and other lipidaemias (E78)
  • Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)
  • Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
  • Conduction disorders and cardiac arrythmias (I44-I49)
  • Diseases of the circulatory system falling into multiple categories
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
Data sources
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
Biosamples - MIABIS categories
  • DNA
  • Faeces
  • Plasma
  • RNA
  • Serum
Data types
  • Sociodemographics
  • Lifestyle data
  • Biomarkers
  • Omics
  • ECG
  • Imaging
  • Diseases and/or death
Data types - Omics
  • Genomics
  • Transcriptomics
File formats
Sequencing Technology
Library strategy
EGA Beacon
  • No
Data types - Lifestyle data
  • Nutrition
  • Physical activity
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol
Organ
  • Carotid
  • Bone
Carotid artery
  • Ultrasound
Bone
  • Xray
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