The independent, not‑for‑profit Sax Institute announced on Thursday the launch of “18 and Up,” a new intergenerational research project that will recruit 100,000 Australians aged 18 to 45 and follow their health throughout their lives.
The initiative builds on the institute’s earlier “45 and Up” study, a landmark longitudinal survey of older Australians, and is billed as the country’s largest intergenerational study of wellbeing and ageing.
Researchers say the new cohort will help them better understand the drivers of major health challenges facing younger Australians, specifically the rising incidence of mental illness and early‑onset cancers.
Participants in the 18 and Up study will be tracked over many years, providing data on lifestyle, medical history and other factors that may influence long‑term health outcomes.
By assembling a large, age‑diverse sample, the Sax Institute aims to generate evidence that can inform public‑health strategies and policy responses to the growing burden of mental health disorders and cancer among the nation’s younger population.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
