Estimating the effect of lifestyle over the course of adulthood on all-cause and cause-specific mortality

Abstract

Background Existing evidence linking lifestyle-related factors (body mass index [BMI], physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and alcohol consumption) to mortality is primarily based on observational studies with single-time-point exposure assessments. However, the effects of lifestyle changes or benefits of long-term adherence to public health recommendations during adult life cannot be estimated without using data from additional time points. Despite the fact that many cohort studies have assessed exposures and confounders repeatedly over time, a limited number of studies have used these data. This thesis aims to estimate the effects of time-varying lifestyle-related exposures during adul..