Cohort Profile: The Prospective Epidemiological Risk Factor (PERF) study

The world’s population is ageing.1 In Europe alone, the elderly population over age 65 will double from 88 to 153 million and the fastest growing segment of the population will be those over 80, tripling in number from 24 to 60 million in 2060.2 Low birth rates and increasing longevity are the key factors in this shifting trend in ageing demographics.3 Maintaining a healthy life is important, as an ageing population in good health will limit the pressure on health care systems.3,4 However, it is likely that risk factors compromising healthy ageing, such as smoking, obesity, excess alcohol consumption, unemployment, and lack of physical activity, will negatively affect the years people spend in good non-treatment requiring health.1,5 In 2006, it was estimated that women in the Western European countries are expected to live about 80% of their lives in good health. In other words, this predicts a healthy life expectancy up to 20% shorter than the total life expectancy.4 Focus on a healthy elderly population is therefore of greater interest than ever.