The third wave of follow-up is due to start next year. A key element involves participants wearing a wrist-worn accelerometer (like a fitness band) to measure movement across the 24-hour day. Data collected will help to provide insights into the role that sleep, sitting and physical activity play in the development of cancer.
Cohort studies take time, particularly when looking at cancer as an outcome. It will be several years before the ABC Study has collected enough data to begin analysing them. Here we report on a recent analysis (using data from our older cohort study – Health 2020) examining physical activity as a strategy to reduce the risk of developing cancer.
Prospective cohort studies, such as the ABC Study, start with a group of people who are generally healthy, assess a range of lifestyle factors, such as body size, diet and alcohol consumption and collect biological samples, and then follow them over time.
We know that consuming too much sugar can lead to obesity. Drinking sugary drinks, such as soft drinks, can lead to increased abdominal fat and can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.