Epidemiological Investigations of Dietary Patterns and Physical Activity on Longevity and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
type: CreativeWork
description: Unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are important modifiable risk factors for premature mortality and major chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (diabetes). However, few large-scale studies have examined the combined influence of overall diet quality and physical activity on longevity and the risk of clinically-diagnosed CVD and diabetes in adults recruited from the general population. Of popular opinion, is the notion that the health risks from poor diets can be compensated by physical activity; i.e. that one can “outrun a bad diet”. The food industry has often sought to sway public opinion towards the belief that dietary indulgences can be enjoyed as long as one engages in sufficient physical activity. However, it is unclear if the risk of premature mortality and cardiometabolic disease from unhealthy diets can be offset by physical activity, and vice versa. Therefore, the overall theme of this dissertation is to examine the epidemiological associations of diet quality and physical activity on the risk of mortality, CVD and diabetes. Specific objectives are to: 1) Study the independent associations of overall diet quality and physical activity on the primary outcomes of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. 2) Examine the dose-response associations between physical activity and the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease, including more of the evidence base by employing comprehensive exposure dose-harmonisation methods. 3) Examine the interactions between diet and physical activity on the health outcomes: a. If the risk of mortality and cardiometabolic disease from unhealthy diets can be offset by physical activity, and vice versa. (i.e. compensation) b. If diet and physical activity can work synergistically to further lower the risk of mortality and cardiometabolic disease, beyond the independent effect from each exposure alone (i.e. synergism) 4) Quantify the population health impacts of diet an…
abstract: Unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are important modifiable risk factors for premature mortality and major chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (diabetes). However, few large-scale studies have examined the combined influence of overall diet quality and physical activity on longevity and the risk of clinically-diagnosed CVD and diabetes in adults recruited from the general population. Of popular opinion, is the notion that the health risks from poor diets can be compensated by physical activity; i.e. that one can “outrun a bad diet”. The food industry has often sought to sway public opinion towards the belief that dietary indulgences can be enjoyed as long as one engages in sufficient physical activity. However, it is unclear if the risk of premature mortality and cardiometabolic disease from unhealthy diets can be offset by physical activity, and vice versa. Therefore, the overall theme of this dissertation is to examine the epidemiological associations of diet quality and physical activity on the risk of mortality, CVD and diabetes. Specific objectives are to: 1) Study the independent associations of overall diet quality and physical activity on the primary outcomes of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. 2) Examine the dose-response associations between physical activity and the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease, including more of the evidence base by employing comprehensive exposure dose-harmonisation methods. 3) Examine the interactions between diet and physical activity on the health outcomes: a. If the risk of mortality and cardiometabolic disease from unhealthy diets can be offset by physical activity, and vice versa. (i.e. compensation) b. If diet and physical activity can work synergistically to further lower the risk of mortality and cardiometabolic disease, beyond the independent effect from each exposure alone (i.e. synergism) 4) Quantify the population health impacts of diet an…
author: Mok, Zhen Yong Alexander
language: en
keywords: Medical Science, Population Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Public Health, Longevity, Mortality, Cardiometabolic, Cardiovascular Disease, Heart Disease, Cerebrovascular Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Cancer, Lifestyle, Diet, Nutrition, Food, Physical Activity, Exercise, Fitness, Obesity, Longitudinal Study, Cohort Study, Meta-analysis
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/cf44c71f-f89e-46d6-92ee-a6cf91da1fb1/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2020-02-23
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:14Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.49461