Project leader: Prof. Dr. Heiner Boeing & Dr. Manuela Bergmann

German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke

Goals:
Project B investigates how the family imprint influences our dietary habits. This is done by a family study with approximately 5,000 participants between the ages 50 to 70. Participants should be spouses, siblings, their respective children and spouses. The main study will be conducted as an internet study with postal collection of biological material. Further, 250 propositi with a scientific interesting family constellation will be invited for blood sampling and interviews into the Center of Human Studies at the DiFe. The additional studies will also involve tests to determine the perceptional threshold of certain odors and flavors. In qualitative interviews with approximately 15 couples, the role of socio-cultural factors and family imprints for food selection is considered. The technical implementation of the internet-based questionnaires, the invitation of the participants and the establishment of a biomaterial bank with saliva samples will be carried out at DIfE. The evaluation and the interpretation of the measurement, survey, test and biomarker data are to be carried out initially by each responsible cooperation partner, and then finally by the project partners.