The Malmö Offspring Study - MOS
The Malmö Offspring Study is the first population study in Sweden that makes it possible to follow major endemic diseases over several generations. The focus is, but not limited to, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia and cancer.
Despite medical progress, everything points to the fact that endemic diseases will remain one of our greatest challenges in the future. By following trial participants in the Malmö Offspring Study, we gain new and important knowledge about how our heredity and environment interact and affect us.
The Malmö Offspring Study started in March 2013 and aims to map family patterns behind major public diseases based on gene-environment interaction. The goal is to give researchers access to new information about how diseases spread within families, not only via genetic inheritance but also via lifestyle, social patterns and health habits. The study is run jointly by Lund University and Region Skåne with support from the EU. Principal responsible for the study is Peter Nilsson together with Olle Melander, both professors at the Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University. In 2022, work began on the MOS Re-examination of the previous participants.
Our lifestyle can explain prevalence of diseases
It is well known that a number of large disease groups tend to accumulate within certain families, but the reason for this has not been explored. However, we know that the purely genetic component can only explain a small part of this family pattern, which is why we want to look for other explanations. A possible explanation could, for example, be in how environmental factors affect genetics (so-called epigenetics) but also other mechanisms such as different impacts in fetal life or early childhood, as well as different forms of bacterial patterns in the gastrointestinal tract (microbiota) where different family members tend to resemble each other. The study ended on December 31, 2021, and includes approximately 5,000 individuals.
Health examination, dietary data and sample collection
In the study, health examinations are carried out with the research aim of investigating and mapping family patterns behind, above all, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The target group consists of children and grandchildren of index persons (generation 1) who were previously examined within the framework of the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study's Cardiovascular Arm (MDC-CVA) at a baseline in 1992-1996.
MOS includes a physical examination, a questionnaire, blood sampling, technical examinations, diet registration and sampling from urine and faeces. The technical examinations include carotid ultrasound, measurement of arterial stiffness, 24-hour peripheral and central blood pressure, peripheral circulation, ankle-arm index and spirometry. In addition, cognitive tests are performed as well as assessment of glucose metabolic control and transdermal determination of Advanced Glycation End (AGE) products, a measure of tissue glycation.
Participants receive answers to whether medical or technical examinations have given irregular answers and whether these require action. If so, they are forwarded to further referral for treatment and follow-up.
Malmö Offspring Study – Re-examination
Currently, a re-examination of diet and gut bacteria is underway in approximately 300 former participants in the Malmö Offspring Study. The purpose of the re-examination is to evaluate the reliability of gut bacteria data as well as changes in gut flora over time and its connection to changes in dietary intake and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The goal of this re-examination is to improve our understanding of how diet affects disease development of these widespread diseases via the intestinal flora.
Samples are stored in the Biobank
Samples, including DNA, are stored in Region Skånes Biobank (BD47).
Approved ethics application
The study has ethics approval via the Regional Ethics Review Board in Lund (Dnr. 2012/594) and the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR via Lund University.
EPN finalt besked 2012 (PDF, 282 kB, ny flik)
Funding
MOS is supported by the strategic research area EpiHealth, Epidemiology for Health, at Lund University as well as by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation and Region Skåne (medical education and research funds).
Medical directors for MOS
Medical directors for the study are prof/senior physician Peter M Nilsson, who together with prof/senior physician Olle Melander, chare scientific management responsibility for MOS together with the steering group for MOS. The MOS study is based on a broad collaboration with a number of other researchers [2,3].
Peter M Nilsson, professor of clinical cardiovascular research at the Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, and senior physician at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, +46 40 332415, +46 704 503456, Peter [dot] Nilsson [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Peter[dot]Nilsson[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)
Olle Melander, professor of internal medicine at the Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, and senior physician at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, +46 40 391209, +46 40 391221, Olle [dot] Melander [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Olle[dot]Melander[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)
MOS baseline publications
The Malmö Offspring Study (MOS): design, methods and first results (PDF, 1,23 MB, new page)
Malmö Offspring Dental Study (MODS)
In connection with the Malmö Offspring Study, participants are offered a free and painless examination of their dental health at The Faculty of Odontology at Malmö University. The examination consists of a dental and oral examination with X-rays and saliva samples to diagnose, among other things, cavities in the teeth and periodontal disease (tooth loss).
The research is led by Doctor of Odontology, Associate Professor Daniel Jönsson at The Faculty of Odontology at Malmö University.
ORGANISATION
The steering committee for MOS and the principal investigators
Olle Melander (PI), professor
Peter M Nilsson, professor and senior researcher
Gunnar Engström, professor
Jan Nilsson, professor
Margaretha Persson, Dr med vet.
Cecilia Kennbäck, Clinica Research Unit
Marju Orho-Melander, professor
Daniel Jönsson, associate professor, dentist
Contact
If you have questions about participation and examinations
Cecilia Kennbäck
Clinical Research Unit, Skåne University Hospital
+46 40 332037
+46 724674621
Cecilia [dot] Kennback [at] skane [dot] se (Cecilia[dot]Kennback[at]skane[dot]se)