Nutrition and Physical Activity and Chronic Disease Prevention: Research Strategies and Recommendations

• Published in: JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute Vol. 96; no. 17; pp. 1276 - 1287
• Main Authors: Prentice, Ross L., Willett, Walter C., Greenwald, Peter, Alberts, David, Bernstein, Leslie, Boyd, Norman F., Byers, Tim, Clinton, Steven K., Fraser, Gary, Freedman, Laurence, Hunter, David, Kipnis, Victor, Kolonel, Laurence N., Kristal, Bruce S., Kristal, Alan, Lampe, Johanna W., McTiernan, Anne, Milner, John, Patterson, Ruth E., Potter, John D., Riboli, Elio, Schatzkin, Arthur, Yates, Allison, Yetley, Elizabeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 01.09.2004; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Disease; Chronic illnesses; Cohort Studies; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Energy Intake; Energy Metabolism; Feeding Behavior; Humans; Medical research; Motor Activity; Nutrition; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Obesity - complications; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - prevention & control; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Physical fitness; Prevention; Primary Prevention - methods; Research Design
• ISSN: 0027-8874; 1460-2105
• DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djh240

A shortage of credible information exists on practical dietary and physical activity patterns that have potential to reverse the national obesity epidemic and reduce the risk of major cancers and other chronic diseases. Securing such information is a challenging task, and there is considerable diversity of opinion concerning related research designs and priorities. Here, we put forward some perspectives on useful methodology and infrastructure developments for progress in this important area, and we list high-priority research topics in the areas of 1) assessment of nutrient intake and energy expenditure; 2) development of intermediate outcome biomarkers; 3) enhancement of cohort and cross-cultural studies; and 4) criteria for and development of full-scale nutrition and physical activity intervention trials.