title: Design, methods and demographics from phase I of Alberta's Tomorrow Project cohort: a prospective cohort profile.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prospective cohorts have the potential to support multifactorial, health-related research, particularly if they are drawn from the general population, incorporate active and passive follow-up and permission is obtained to allow access by researchers to data repositories. This paper describes Phase I of the Alberta's Tomorrow Project cohort, a broad-based research platform designed to support investigations into factors that influence cancer and chronic disease risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults aged 35-69 years living in Alberta, Canada, with no previous cancer diagnosis other than nonmelanoma skin cancer were recruited to the project by telephone-based random digit dialling. Participants were enrolled if they returned a Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire. Past year diet and physical activity questionnaires were mailed 3 months after enrolment. Consent was sought for active follow-up and linkage with administrative databases. Depending on enrolment date, participants were invited to complete up to 2 follow-up questionnaires (2004 and 2008).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2001 and 2009, 31 072 (39% men) participants (mean age 50.2 [± 9.2] yr) were enrolled and 99% consented to linkage with administrative databases. Participants reported a wide range of educational attainment and household income. Compared with provincial surveillance data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, Alberta's Tomorrow Project participants had higher body mass index, lower prevalence of smoking and similar distribution of chronic health conditions. Follow-up questionnaires were completed by 83% and 72% of participants in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Robust quality control measures resulted in low frequencies of missing data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alberta's Tomorrow Project provides a robust platform, based on a prospective cohort design, to support research into risk factors for cancer and chronic disease.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Paula J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Robson
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Nathan M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Solbak
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Tiffany R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Haig
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Heather K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Vena
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Alianu K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Akawung
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: William K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Rosner
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Darren R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Csizmadi
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kopciuk
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: S Elizabeth
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.affiliation: Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Robson), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (Robson), Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Cancer Measurement, Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (Solbak, Haig, Whelan, Vena, Akawung, Rosner), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi, Kopciuk), CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services; Department of Oncology and Department of Community Health Sciences (Brenner, Friedenreich, Csizmadi), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, Alta.; Department of Internal Medicine (Cook), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; Departments of Oncology and Mathematics and Statistics (Kopciuk), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.; Population, Public and Aboriginal Health (McGregor), Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alta.
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Friedenreich