About the Study

The Bogalusa Heart Study is one of the longest-running epidemiological investigations in the United States, focused on a biracial, semi-rural community in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Initiated to explore the long-term effects of cardiovascular and metabolic changes on health throughout the lifespan, this study has become a crucial resource in understanding the early origins of adult chronic diseases.

Since its inception, the Bogalusa Heart Study has led to over 170 individual studies and sub-studies covering a wide array of health metrics including socioeconomic impacts, blood pressure dynamics, lipid profiles, genetic and epigenetic factors, physical activity, and more. These extensive research efforts have been pivotal in examining how early life exposures and behaviors affect health across an individual’s lifetime.

To date, the study’s findings have been documented in more than 1,000 publications, including five textbooks and numerous monographs. These contributions have provided invaluable insights from both cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives on over 12,000 children and adults in Bogalusa. The data collected through the Bogalusa Heart Study continue to inform public health policies and preventive healthcare practices, making it a seminal project in the fields of cardiovascular and metabolic research.

Marking its 50th anniversary, the study has expanded its research scope to explore the effects of early high blood sugar levels on brain health in middle-aged adults, with early findings linking cardiovascular risk factors to cognitive decline. The ongoing research, now examining potential biomarkers for dementia, aims to revolutionize understanding of how diseases like dementia may originate during early middle age, building on the study’s historic contributions to pediatric health and racial health disparities.

If you’re interested in proposing and conducting a study with Bogalusa Heart Study data, please complete the following steps:

Step 1: Contact Dr. Lydia Bazzano and the team to express interest using the form below: Study Manuscript Proposal. 

Step 2: The proposal will be reviewed.

Step 3: Once the review process is complete, primary investigators will receive an answer about their proposal.