Age 46 Sweep – Objective health data

The 1970 British Cohort Study Age 46 Sweep had a significant biomedical focus, with objective health measurements and assessments being conducted for the first time in the cohort members’ adulthood.

Nurses administered a range of biomeasures, including tests to measure blood pressure, grip strength and balance. Cohort members provided blood samples with cholesterol and glycated haemoglobin being measured.   

They also wore an activPAL device that recorded their physical activity and time spent in different sedentary postures – such as sitting, standing, moving and sleeping – over seven days and completed an online diet questionnaire for two random days in a week. Data from the Age 46 Survey is a rich resource for researchers exploring the factors that predict health risk in midlife and can be used comparatively with the older 1958 National Child Development Study.  

Read more about the Age 46 Sweep and its special features.