title: The LIFE-Adult-Study: objectives and design of a population-based cohort study with 10,000 deeply phenotyped adults in Germany.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The LIFE-Adult-Study is a population-based cohort study, which has recently completed the baseline examination of 10,000 randomly selected participants from Leipzig, a major city with 550,000 inhabitants in the east of Germany. It is the first study of this kind and size in an urban population in the eastern part of Germany. The study is conducted by the Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases (LIFE). Our objective is to investigate prevalences, early onset markers, genetic predispositions, and the role of lifestyle factors of major civilization diseases, with primary focus on metabolic and vascular diseases, heart function, cognitive impairment, brain function, depression, sleep disorders and vigilance dysregulation, retinal and optic nerve degeneration, and allergies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study covers a main age range from 40-79 years with particular deep phenotyping in elderly participants above the age of 60. The baseline examination was conducted from August 2011 to November 2014. All participants underwent an extensive core assessment programme (5-6 h) including structured interviews, questionnaires, physical examinations, and biospecimen collection. Participants over 60 underwent two additional assessment programmes (3-4 h each) on two separate visits including deeper cognitive testing, brain magnetic resonance imaging, diagnostic interviews for depression, and electroencephalography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The participation rate was 33 %. The assessment programme was accepted well and completely passed by almost all participants. Biomarker analyses have already been performed in all participants. Genotype, transcriptome and metabolome analyses have been conducted in subgroups. The first follow-up examination will commence in 2016.
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. markus.loeffler@imise.uni-leipzig.de.|Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany. markus.loeffler@imise.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loeffler
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ahnert
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alfermann
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.|Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arelin
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baber
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Leipzig Heart Centre, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beutner
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Universal Medical Centre Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ceglarek
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Enzenbach
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Section of Phoniatrics and Audiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Heide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Glaesmer
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Girlich
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Cardiology-Angiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hagendorff
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Madlen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Häntzsch
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hegerl
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henger
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Tilman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hensch
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hinz
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Clinical Trial Centre Leipzig - Coordinating Centre for Clinical Trials, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Holzendorf
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Electrophysiology, Leipzig Heart Centre, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Husser
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kersting
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kiel
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Toralf
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kirsten
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kratzsch
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research (IZKF), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krohn
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luck
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Leipzig Heart Centre, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melzer
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Netto
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nüchter
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Radiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raschpichler
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Ophthalmology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Rauscher
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Steffi G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Riedel-Heller
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schönknecht
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.|Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Schroeter
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan-Christoph
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: J
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: R
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stöbel-Richter
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Medical Department, Division of Endocrinology and Nephrology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Leipzig Heart Centre, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Leipzig Heart Centre, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: A
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: D
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: FS
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Medical Department, Division of Endocrinology and Nephrology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Treudler
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.|Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villringer
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weissgerber
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Department of Ophthalmology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics, and Epidemiology (IMISE), University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.
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authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zachariae
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wirkner
authors.affiliation: LIFE - Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
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mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*