title: Nutrition, environment and cardiovascular health (NESCAV): protocol of an inter-regional cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the remarkable technological progress in health care and treatment, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of premature death, prolonged hospitalization and disability in most European countries. In the population of the Greater Region (Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, Wallonia in Belgium, and Lorraine in France), the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and disease is among the highest in Europe, warranting the need for a better understanding of factors contributing to this pattern. In this context, the cross-border "Nutrition, Environment and Cardiovascular Health-NESCAV" project is initiated by an inter-regional multi-disciplinary consortium and supported by the INTERREG IV A program "Greater Region", 2007-2013, to fight synergically and harmoniously against this major public health problem.
  
  
  METHODS
  The objectives of the three-year planned project are to assess, in a representative sample of 3000 randomly selected individuals living at the Greater Region, 1) the cardiovascular health and risk profile, 2) the association between the dietary habits and the cardiovascular risk, 3) the association of occupational and environmental pollution markers with the cardiovascular risk, 4) the knowledge, awareness and level of control of cardiovascular risk factors, 5) the potential gaps in the current primary prevention, and finally, to address evidence-based recommendations enabling the development of inter-regional guidance to help policy-makers and health care workers for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings will provide tools that may enable the Greater Region's decision-makers and health professionals to implement targeted and cost-effective prevention strategies.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Public Santé, Centre d'Etudes en Santé, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. alaa.alkerwi@crp-sante.lu
authors.forename: Ala'a
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alkerwi
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guillaume
authors.forename: Faiez
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zannad
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Laufs
authors.forename: Marie-Lise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lair
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011322:Primary Prevention; D011634:Public Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult