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AlzRisk Paper Detail
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Reference: Eskelinen, 2011
Cohort: North Karelia Project/FINMONICA/Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Dementia
Risk Factor: Dietary Pattern


Exposure Detail
Dietary habits were self-reported at baseline from approximately 20 qualitative and quantitative survey questions regarding consumption frequency of different food items.

Adherence to a healthy dietary pattern was measured using a modified Mediterranean diet score (Trichopolou et. al. 2003). For each of 18 food categories, a 0 or 1 was assigned based on sex-specific median cutoffs of intake within the cohort. For those food categories thought to be beneficial (vegetables, fruits, bread, fish, coffee, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids from milk products and spreads), levels of intake above the cutoff were assigned a 1, and a 0 otherwise. For those food categories thought to be harmful (sausage foods, eggs, candies, sweet soft drinks, sugar lumps in coffee, salty fish, and saturated fatty acids from milk products and spreads), the reverse scoring method was used. The score for the healthy dietary pattern was dichotomized based on median values (0-8 points vs. >8 points).

Ethnicity Detail
All participants were residents of Joensuu or Kuopio, Finland. No other information on ethnicity or race has been reported.

Screening and Diagnosis Detail
Screening Method:
MMSEMini-Mental State Examination (Folstein 1975)

AD Diagnosis:
NINCDS ADRDA National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association Criteria (McKhann 1984)

Total dementia definition: Dementia via DSM-IV.

"For the diagnosis of dementia, a three-step protocol (screening, clinical, and differential diagnostic phase) was
used; individuals scoring ≤24 on the MMSE were addressed for further diagnostic examination. The diagnosis of dementia was based on DSM-IV criteria, and probable and possible AD was diagnosed according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria [15]."

Covariates & Analysis Detail
Analysis Type:
Logistic regression

AD Covariates:
Aage
Eeducation
Ggender
APOE4APOE e4 genotype
BMIbody mass index
DMdiabetes mellitus
FUTfollow up time
MImycardial infarction history
PAphysical activity
RESresidential township
SMsmoking status
SHstroke history
SBPsystolic blood pressure
TCtotal cholesterol

TD Covariates:
Aage
Eeducation
Ggender
APOE4APOE e4 genotype
BMIbody mass index
DMdiabetes mellitus
FUTfollow up time
MImycardial infarction history
PAphysical activity
RESresidential township
SMsmoking status
SHstroke history
SBPsystolic blood pressure
TCtotal cholesterol

Myocardial infarction, stroke, and diabetes mellitus were measured at follow-up. Other variables were measured at baseline.