With over 47,000 participants, Cohorte Cantabria continues moving forward in its mission to collect samples and data to advance biomedical research. After four years of work, the project now boasts 16 established scientific collaborations and financial support from the Government of Cantabria.
The project’s coordinating team is already preparing the follow-up phase, which will include new tests and questionnaires. In fact, this past May, they conducted the first “user experience” trial, in which 20 randomly selected participants of different ages and genders were invited to assess the usability of the future questionnaires. Their feedback helped identify key improvements in the design and language of the surveys, aiming to make them clearer, more accessible, and easier to complete for the entire participant population.
At the same time, Cohorte has launched a new initiative with the Cantabrian Directorate General of Public Health called “Cantabria en forma” (Fit Cantabria). This is a survey aimed at families with children aged 6 to 16. For those Cohorte Cantabria participants who choose to take part, their data will be cross-referenced to analyze the relationship between the habits of parents and children. The project also includes an analysis of the Cohorte Cantabria database to identify links between obesity and other diseases. Based on the results, a prevention and health promotion strategy will be developed. Anyone interested can take part through the following link: https://redcap.link/cantabriaenforma
In addition, the Cohorte team is collaborating with researchers from the Epidemiology and Public Health group at the University of Cantabria–IDIVAL and the Immunology Department at Valdecilla Hospital on a study examining the impact of circadian rhythm disruption on the development of chronic systemic inflammation. This condition represents a significant risk factor for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disorders. As part of this study, Cohorte Cantabria has distributed a questionnaire on sleep habits, physical activity, and chrononutrition. From all respondents, 1,000 will be selected to take part in a more detailed phase of the study. More information about this and other ongoing initiatives is available at: https://cohortecantabria.com/proyectos/
Although they already have the support of over 47,000 residents of Cantabria, the project still needs 3,000 more participants. In particular, they are calling on people living in the more remote areas of the region — Liébana, Campoo-Los Valles, Valles Pasiegos, Asón-Agüera, and the Eastern Coast — where participation is still needed for the study to fully represent the population of Cantabria. Get involved and make sure your community is counted at: https://cohortecantabria.com/
