Cohort Descriptives
| Variable | Response |
|---|---|
| Cohort Name | UK Biobank |
| Cohort Acronym | UK Biobank |
| DOI | Collins, R. (2017). UK Biobank [Data set]. Dementias Platform UK. https://doi.org/10.48532/046000 |
| Study Overview | UK Biobank aims to assess the relevance of a very wide range of health-related outcomes. It is a large prospective study to investigate the role of genetic factors, environmental exposures and lifestyle in the causes of major diseases of late and middle age. During 2006-2010, UK Biobank conducted its recruitment phase of more than 500,000 participants who gave their consent, answered questions, had physical measurements and gave samples (blood, urine and saliva) at a Baseline assessment visit. Follow-up of their health is now being conducted through medical and other health-related records. Access systems have been developed to facilitate use of the UK Biobank Resource by bona fide researchers for health-related research that is in the public interest. |
| #Subjects at Baseline | 503316 |
| Institution Name | UK Biobank |
| Department Name | UK Biobank Coordinating Centre |
| City | Stockport |
| Study/Database Website | |
| Principal Investigator (PI) | Professor Sir Rory Collins |
| Key Study References | |
| Population Based Study? | Yes |
| Family Based Study? | No |
| Clinical based sample? | No |
| Is there follow-up data available? | Yes |
| Were participants included prior to development of dementia (may refer to controls only)? | Yes |
| Were participants included prior to development of MCI (may refer to controls only)? | Yes |
| How is data collected? | A combination of in person, postal and internet |
| Who carries out data collection? | Interviewers and clinical staff: Key staff are research nursing and technical staff |
| Does this take place in participants' homes or at a central location? | Home and Central: Baseline visit at central location (office space). Pedometry (100,000) and email questionnaires (300,000) sent to participants and carried out at home. There are additional web based questionnaires that will also be carried out at home. |
| Do participants take part individually or are families/partners involved? | Individually |
| Dementia cases ascertained as part of study: | No |
| How many times followed up? | 2, with online questionnaires at intervals |
| How regular is follow-up? | Subgroups followed up more frequently, with online questionnaires asking about diet, work history, patricipants' thoughts and feelings and cognitive function. |
| # Subjects at Follow-up | 20,000 at repeat assessment, aim of 100,000 at imaging visit |
| Study start date | 01/01/2006 00:00:00 |
| Is study ongoing? | Yes |
| Is study still recruiting? | No |
| Inclusion criteria | Age 40-69 years at recruitment. Capacity to consent. Lived within 20-25 miles of one of the assessment centres. |
| Exclusion criteria | UK Biobank did not enrol potential participants who express the view that they would want to be withdrawn should they lose mental capacity or die because this would reduce the value of the resource for research. |
Administration
| Variable type |
|---|
| Age at recruitment |
| Assessment centre |
| Date of birth |
| Date of consenting to join UK Biobank |
| Email access |
| Home location at assessment |
| ID |
| Reason/date lost to follow-up |
| Sex |
Sociodemographic
Family History
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extended | Non-accidental death in close genetic family | ||||
| Father | Father (natural and adopted) | ||||
| Mother | Mother (natual and adopted) | ||||
| Siblings | Siblings (natual and adopted) |
Early Life History
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | Adopted as a child | ||||
| Birth | Birth weight | ||||
| Birth | Born by caesarian section | ||||
| Birthplace | Country of birth (non-UK) | ||||
| Birthplace | Place of birth (UK) | ||||
| Body Size Child | Comparative body/height size at age 10 | ||||
| Breastfed | Breastfed as a baby | ||||
| Childhood Environment | Long-term antibiotics as a child | ||||
| Handedness | Handedness (chirality/laterality) | ||||
| Mother Smoked | Maternal smoking around birth | ||||
| Twin Birth | Part of a multiple birth |
Physical Health Status
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Cancer | ||||
| Cancer | Cancer screenings | ||||
| Cancer | Lung cancer | ||||
| Cancer | Self-reported cancers/non-cancer illnesses | ||||
| Cardiothoracic | Heart attack | ||||
| Cardiothoracic | Myocardial infarction | ||||
| Cardiothoracic | STEMI/NSTEMI | ||||
| Cardiothoracic | Various cardiothoracic conditions | ||||
| Cardiothoracic | Vascular/heart problems | ||||
| Cerebrovascular | Intracerebral/subarachnoid haemorrhage | ||||
| Cerebrovascular | Ischaemic stroke | ||||
| ENT | Frequency of loud music exposure | ||||
| ENT | Mouth/teeth dental problems | ||||
| ENT | Tinnitus severity/nuisance | ||||
| Eyes | Current eye infection | ||||
| Eyes | Eye problems/disorders | ||||
| Eyes | Glasses/contact lenses | ||||
| Eyes | Glaucoma/cataract diagnosed | ||||
| Eyes | Which eye(s) affected by various eye conditions | ||||
| Gastrointestinal | Abdominal pain/discomfort | ||||
| Gastrointestinal | Coeliac disease/gluten sensitivity | ||||
| Gastrointestinal | General gastro-intestinal health | ||||
| Gastrointestinal | Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) | ||||
| General Health | Diabetes/gestational diabetes | ||||
| General Health | Falls and resulting fractures | ||||
| General Health | Long-standing illness, disability or infirmity | ||||
| General Health | Other serious medical condition/disability | ||||
| General Health | Overall health rating | ||||
| General Health | Weight change compared with 1 year ago | ||||
| Immunological | Hay fever/rhinitis/eczema | ||||
| Pain | Body/joint/general pain report | ||||
| Respiratory | Various lung diseases/illnesses | ||||
| Respiratory | Wheeze or whistling in the chest/shortness of breath |
Reproductive History
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | Age at first/last live birth | ||||
| Female | Age of primiparous women at birth of child | ||||
| Female | Age when periods started | ||||
| Female | Birth weight of first child | ||||
| Female | Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) | ||||
| Female | Hysterectomy/oophorectomy (both ovaries removed) | ||||
| Female | Menopause | ||||
| Female | Menstrual cycles | ||||
| Female | Number of live births | ||||
| Female | Oral contraceptive pill | ||||
| Female | Stillbirth/spontaneous miscarriage/termination | ||||
| Male | Hair/balding pattern | ||||
| Male | Number of children fathered | ||||
| Male | Relative age of first facial hair | ||||
| Male | Relative age voice broke |
Healthcare Utilisation
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Insurance | Private healthcare | ||||
| Medications | Treatments/medications for various illnesses | ||||
| Medications | Vitamin, mineral and other dietary supplements | ||||
| Surgery | Ever had eye surgery | ||||
| Surgery | Major operations | ||||
| Surgery | Pace-maker | ||||
| Surgery | Surgery/amputation of toe or leg |
Life Functionality
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistive devices | Hearing aid/cochlear implant |
Psychological Status
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personality | Neuroticism score | ||||
| Personality | Risk taking | ||||
| Personality | Suffer from 'nerves' | ||||
| Personality | Tense/'highly strung' | ||||
| Sleep | Extensive sleep assessment | ||||
| Wellbeing | Belief that own life is meaningful | ||||
| Wellbeing | General happiness/satisfaction assessment |
Mental Health Status
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abuse | Belittlement by partner or ex-partner as an adult | ||||
| Abuse | Felt hated/physically abused by family member as a child | ||||
| Abuse | Felt loved as a child | ||||
| Abuse | Physical violence/sexual interference by partner without consent as an adult | ||||
| Abuse | Someone to take to doctor when needed as a child | ||||
| Abuse | Victim of sexual assault as a child/adult | ||||
| Addictions | Addiction to any substance/behaviour/alcohol/miscellaneous | ||||
| Addictions | Addiction to illicit or recreational drugs/over-the-counter medication | ||||
| Consultation | Ever sought or received professional help for mental distress | ||||
| Consultation | Ever talked to a health professional about unusual or psychotic experiences | ||||
| Disorders | Bipolar disorder | ||||
| Mood | Been in a confiding relationship as an adult | ||||
| Mood | Depression/anxiety | ||||
| Mood | Mania/irritability/anger | ||||
| Mood | Mental health questionnaire | ||||
| Mood | Mood/feelings assessment | ||||
| Mood | Psychotic experiences | ||||
| Mood | Stress | ||||
| Mood | Unenthusiasm/disinterest | ||||
| Self Harm | Self-harm | ||||
| Self Harm | Suicide | ||||
| Trauma | Diagnosed with life-threatening illness | ||||
| Trauma | Traumatic experience (serious accident, combat/war-zone, violent crime/death) |
Cognition
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Performance | Aide-memoire completed | ||||
| Cognitive Performance | Fluid intelligence | ||||
| Cognitive Performance | Number/history of attempts | ||||
| Cognitive Performance | Numeric memory | ||||
| Cognitive Performance | Pairs matching | ||||
| Cognitive Performance | Symbol digit substitution | ||||
| Cognitive Performance | Trail making | ||||
| Cognitive Performance | Willing to attempt cognitive tests | ||||
| Cognitive Status | Alzheimer's disease | ||||
| Cognitive Status | Dementia | ||||
| Cognitive Status | Frontotemporal dementia | ||||
| Cognitive Status | Parkinson's disease | ||||
| Cognitive Status | Vascular dementia |
Lifestyle
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Alcohol drinker status | ||||
| Alcohol | Alcohol intake versus 10 years previously | ||||
| Alcohol | Alcohol usually taken with meals | ||||
| Alcohol | Average weekly/monthly alcohol intake | ||||
| Alcohol | Former alcohol drinker/reason stopped drinking alcohol | ||||
| Alcohol | Size of wine glass drunk | ||||
| Diet | Carbohydrate intake | ||||
| Diet | Dairy intake | ||||
| Diet | Extensive diet questionnaires completed | ||||
| Diet | Fat intake | ||||
| Diet | Fruit/vegetable intake | ||||
| Diet | Hot drink intake | ||||
| Diet | Meat/fish/vegetarian alternative intake | ||||
| Diet | Other drink intake | ||||
| Diet | Portion size/typical diet | ||||
| Diet | Salt added to food | ||||
| Diet | Savoury/sweet snack intake | ||||
| Diet | Spreads/sauces intake | ||||
| Diet | Total sugars | ||||
| Diet | Type of special diet followed | ||||
| Diet | Vitamins/minerals | ||||
| Digital Technology | Difference in mobile phone use compared to two years previously | ||||
| Digital Technology | Hands-free device/speakerphone use in last 3 months | ||||
| Digital Technology | Mobile phone use | ||||
| Digital Technology | Plays computer games | ||||
| Digital Technology | Time spent watching TV/using computer | ||||
| Digital Technology | Usual side of head for mobile phone use | ||||
| Leisure | Leisure/social activities | ||||
| Physical | Moderate/vigorous activity | ||||
| Physical | Other activity/exercise | ||||
| Physical | Time spent doing physical activity | ||||
| Physical | Walking | ||||
| Sexual | Sexual history | ||||
| Smoking | Smoking history | ||||
| Substances | History of alcohol/substances intake | ||||
| Travel | Driving/other transport |
Physical Environment
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | Date first recorded at location | ||||
| Housing | Home location & area population density | ||||
| Sun Exposure | Facial ageing | ||||
| Sun Exposure | Frequency of solarium/sunlamp use | ||||
| Sun Exposure | Hair colour (natural, before greying) | ||||
| Sun Exposure | Skin colour/ease of tanning/sunburn occasions | ||||
| Sun Exposure | Time spent outdoors in summer/winter | ||||
| Sun Exposure | Use of sun/uv protection | ||||
| Work | Breathing problems/frequent cough due to workplace/job | ||||
| Work | Devices used at work | ||||
| Work | Gap periods | ||||
| Work | Noisy workplace | ||||
| Work | Shift work (day/night) | ||||
| Work | Tobacco smoking in the work place | ||||
| Work | Transport to workplace | ||||
| Work | Work hours | ||||
| Work | Workplace conditions |
Social Environment
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life Events | Illness, injury, bereavement, stress in last 2 years | ||||
| Social Interaction | Able to confide | ||||
| Social Interaction | Frequency of friend/family visits |
Physical Examination
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerometer | Acceleration average/standard deviation | ||||
| Accelerometer | Accelerometer administrative data | ||||
| Accelerometer | Calibration of data | ||||
| Accelerometer | Data recording errors | ||||
| Accelerometer | Fraction acceleration | ||||
| Accelerometer | Wear duration during each day/hour of the week | ||||
| Anthropometry | Body mass index (BMI) | ||||
| Anthropometry | Height (standing, seated) | ||||
| Anthropometry | Impedance of limbs, whole body | ||||
| Anthropometry | Waist/hip circumference | ||||
| Anthropometry | Weight | ||||
| Anthropometry | Whole body fat mass/percentage | ||||
| Anthropometry | Whole body water mass | ||||
| Ear | Extensive hearing assessments | ||||
| Eye | Extensive eye/sight assessments | ||||
| Heart | Cardiac assessments | ||||
| Heart | ECG assessments | ||||
| Lung | Caffeine drank within last hour | ||||
| Lung | Extensive lung assessments | ||||
| Lung | Smoked cigarette or pipe within last hour | ||||
| Lung | Used an inhaler for chest within last hour | ||||
| Metabolism | Basal metabolic rate | ||||
| Strength | Hand grip strength |
Linkage Data
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer Register | Cancer diagnosis | ||||
| Death Register | Date of/age at death | ||||
| HES | Administrative and legal statuses | ||||
| HES | Admissions/discharges from hospital | ||||
| HES | Diagnoses | ||||
| HES | External causes | ||||
| HES | Inpatient record format | ||||
| HES | Intended management of patient | ||||
| HES | Main/treatment speciality of consultant | ||||
| HES | Operative procedures | ||||
| HES | Patient classification on admission | ||||
| HES | PCT where patients GP was registered | ||||
| HES | Spell and episode data |
Biosample Assays
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry | Saliva samples | ||||
| Biochemistry | Urine samples | ||||
| Haematology | Analyses of blood components | ||||
| Haematology | Analyses of various types of red blood cell | ||||
| Haematology | Analyses of various types of white blood cell | ||||
| Haematology | Blood cell counts (red/white) | ||||
| Haematology | Blood samples | ||||
| Haematology | Haemoglobin concentration/percentage | ||||
| Haematology | Mean corpuscular volume/haemoglobin | ||||
| Haematology | Mean sphered cell volume tests | ||||
| Haematology | Platelet analyses |
Imaging
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMD | Android measurements | ||||
| BMD | DXA scans | ||||
| BMD | L1-L4 measurements | ||||
| BMD | Various body part measurements | ||||
| BMD | VAT (visceral adipose tissue) mass & volume | ||||
| MRI | Abdominal MRI | ||||
| MRI | Brain MRI | ||||
| MRI | Cardiac MRI | ||||
| MRI | FA skeleton MRI | ||||
| MRI | rfMRI (resting-state functional MRI) | ||||
| MRI | T1/T2 MRI | ||||
| MRI | tfMRI (task-based functional MRI) |
Genomics
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genotyping | Chromosome genotype probabilities/intensities | ||||
| Genotyping | DNA concentration | ||||
| Genotyping | Extensive genotyping | ||||
| Genotyping | Genetic ethnic grouping | ||||
| Genotyping | Genetic kinship to other participants | ||||
| Genotyping | Genetic principal components | ||||
| Genotyping | Genetic relatedness | ||||
| Genotyping | Genetic sex | ||||
| Genotyping | Genotype measurement batch/plate/well | ||||
| Genotyping | Mitochondrial genotype probabilities/intensities | ||||
| Genotyping | Recommended genomic analysis exclusions | ||||
| Genotyping | UKBiLEVE Affymetrix/genotype quality control for samples | ||||
| Genotyping | UKBiLEVE unrelatedness indicator |
Built Environment
| Sub-category | Variable type | Baseline | 1 | 2 | Online Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morphometrics | Distance (Euclidean) to coast | ||||
| Morphometrics | Greenspace/domestic garden percentage | ||||
| Morphometrics | Natural environment percentage | ||||
| Morphometrics | Water percentage | ||||
| Pollution | Average sound level of noise pollution | ||||
| Pollution | Close to major road | ||||
| Pollution | Nitrogen oxides air pollution | ||||
| Pollution | Particulate matter air pollution | ||||
| Pollution | Sum of road length of major roads within 100m | ||||
| Pollution | Traffic intensity/loads on nearest roads |