Four decades into men’s health study, there’s still more to learn about healthy aging
Forty years ago, 51,529 men joined what would become a landmark effort by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to understand men’s health: the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Nearly 15,000 of them—now in their 80s and beyond—are still actively filling out HPFS questionnaires about their diet and lifestyles every two years and contributing blood, toenails, and other samples.
On Sept. 10, HPFS researchers and participants gathered at Countway Library and online to celebrate the study’s 40th anniversary, mark its significant scientific achievements, and look ahead to future research questions its data may help answer. Throughout the event, testimonials were shared from participants, who are mostly dentists, but also veterinarians, pharmacists, optometrists, osteopath physicians, and podiatrists.
Clifford Scott, MPH ’84, a retired optometrist and former president of the New England College of Optometry, spoke during the event about his enthusiastic participation in HPFS. He said that he believes applying its findings on diet and physical activity over the years has helped him maintain a healthy, active life at age 80.
“It does change your behavior,” he said, noting that he tries to pass on what he’s learned and model healthy behavior for others. He said that he hoped the samples he provided, which are stored in a biorepository along with those from other participants in HPFS, the Nurses Health Study, and Growing Up Today Study, will continue to help researchers generate finding that will benefit his children and grandchildren’s health even after he’s gone.
Researchers involved with HPFS, including Alberto Ascherio, Edward Giovannucci, Frank Hu, and Eric Rimm, described how data contributed by participants over the decades has led to important insights into diet and health, aging, kidney health, neurodegenerative diseases, prostate cancer, and heart disease. Top findings cited included:
- Not all fats are bad for health, but trans fats are very bad—research which helped remove trans fats from the U.S. food supply.
- More than half of chronic diseases are caused by modifiable lifestyle factors.
- People can thrive into older ages and have a healthy life following a chronic disease diagnosis by changing their diet and lifestyle.
- It is important to maintain muscle mass together with aerobic activity, and even a moderate amount of activity provides most of the benefit.
Although the main study grant for HPFS is ending, co-principal investigator Lorelei Mucci, professor of epidemiology, said that researchers plan to keep the study going through individual research grants supporting its different components.
“There’s still a lot to learn,” said co-principal investigator Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition. He noted that a number of participants have now passed 95 and 100 years old. “In some ways, maybe the most is yet to be learned about how we stay healthy and live to a ripe old age.”
Read a Q&A with Mucci: Health Professionals Follow-Up Study marks 40 years of research contributions
