project SUN
Follow-up University of Navarra

There are many questions about which foods benefit us and prevent disease; or which are harmful to our health. To find out, one option is to tell some people to eat certain foods, and others to forbid them. The effects of these recommendations or prohibitions can then be tested. But there is also another option, which is to observe thousands of participants, without any prohibitions.

The project SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) was born with this idea in mind. The best formula is for everyone to continue with their lifestyle as normal, with their daily menu. And through a questionnaire every two years, we analyse the consequences of their lifestyles. This group of volunteers is called the project SUN cohort.

A cohort is a group of people who share a common experience over a period of time. And the people chosen for the project are followed over time to observe the occurrence or incidence of diseases.

The questionnaires ask participants not only about their per diem expenses, but also about other aspects, such as the number of hours they spend at work and exercising per day, the subject and dosage of medication they take, as well as aspects of their lifestyle or behaviours that could affect their risk of developing diseases or injuries.

Serious projects with solid instructions are needed to be able to make preventive recommendations on healthy eating to the population. In the United States, coronary mortality has been reduced by 50% since it became known that high cholesterol, hypertension and smoking are clear risk factors. 

We continue to work along the same lines.