The University of Manchester leads Pilot 1 of the EU-funded COMFORTage project, a population-based study examining the integration of lifestyle and genetic factors to assess the risk of developing dementia. With ethical approval obtained in October 2024, the study recruits 800 participants aged 40 to 75 from diverse backgrounds, excluding those with a history of psychiatric disorders or severe medical conditions such as dementia. The research focuses on primary and secondary prevention of frailty and dementia, investigating lifestyle behaviours, epigenetic, genetic, and metabolomic biomarkers. Its main goal is to identify factors promoting healthy ageing and preventing multimorbidity, evaluating the impact of e-health support and omics profiling, including genomics and metabolomics. The study features two interventions: personalised feedback based on omics biomarker profiles and e-health support through wearable trackers and health apps, with a duration of three years and ongoing longitudinal follow-up.
Title: Integration of lifestyle and genetic factors for assessing the risk of development dementia
Partner: UNIMAN
Type: Population-based study
Target: Adults 40–75
Focus: Early prevention of frailty and dementia and the promotion of healthy aging, particularly focusing on individuals without dementia. It investigates key risk factors for dementia, including lifestyle behaviors, epigenetic and genetic influences, and metabolomic biomarkers, to identify strategies for early intervention and improved long-term health outcomes.
Type of prevention targeted: Primary and secondary
Objective: Identify and explore the factors that contribute to healthy aging and the prevention of multimorbidity, with a particular focus on dementia. We aim to evaluate the added value of e-health support measures and omics profiling (encompassing genomics, epigenomics, and metabolomics), in reducing risk factors associated with multimorbidity and promoting long-term health and well-being.
