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Mexico City Prospective Study

Established 1998-2004

150,000 participants

Collaboration between the National Autonomous University of Mexico and CTSU

Street scene in Mexico City

background

The Mexico City Prospective Study (MCPS) is the largest blood-based prospective study of the health of a Latin-American population. The study offers an opportunity to investigate how social, lifestyle, physical, metabolic and genetic factors influence the major causes of death in Mexican adults in a large cohort that has already been followed for two decades.

Between 1998 and 2004, over 150,000 middle-aged adults including 100,000 women from the Coyoacán and Iztapalapa districts of Mexico City were recruited. They gave information about their lifestyle and disease history, had physical measurements taken, such as blood pressure, weight, waist and hip circumference, and provided blood samples.

A resurvey of 10,000 surviving participants was completed between 2015 and 2019. It captured how lifestyles, physical and biological measurements and treatments for disease had changed over time. This allowed us to better assess how factors including blood pressure and smoking are related to premature death. We also collected urine samples and additional information such as bioimpedance (providing measures of body fat) and cognitive function.

A follow up health survey is currently collecting information on major non-fatal diseases by house-to-house field work.

Using blood samples we have genotyped and exome sequenced all participants. We are currently in the final stages of compiling metabolomic data for all participants which includes important biomarkers such as cholesterol fractions and triglycerides. All participants are tracked for mortality through linkage to Mexican national mortality records. By mid 2022 about 30,000 were confirmed to have died.

team in mexico city

Jesύs Alegre-Dίaz
Study Principal Investigator and Professor of Epidemiology
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Jaime Berumen Campos
Study Principal Investigator and Professor of Molecular Genetics
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Pablo Antonio Kuri Morales
Study Principal Investigator, surgeon and epidemiologist,
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Consultant and Director of the OriGen Project at the Tecnológico de Monterrey

Roberto Tapia Conyer
Study Principal Investigator and Public Health Physician
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Paulina Baca Peynado
Genetic Epidemiologist
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Elizabeth Barrera Sanchez
PhD candidate
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Oscar Castillo Tapia
Geographer
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Georgina Del Vecchyo Tenorio
Research Assistant
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Adrián Garcilazo Ávila
PhD candidate
Universidad del Valle de Atemajac

Ruperto Garcia Ávila
Supervisor, Field Work Team
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Catalina Gasca Velázquez
Supervisor, Field Work Team
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Carlos González Carballo
PhD candidate
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Francisco Javier García González
Assistant Supervisor, Field Work Team
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Guadalupe América Juárez Salazar
Head Supervisor, Field Work Team
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Ricxary Mendoza González
Geographer
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Rogelio Santacruz Benítez
Head Geographer
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Carlos Lira Saturno
Research Assistant
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Carlos Alberto Pantoja Meléndez
Genetic Epidemiologist
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Karina Adriana Ramos Pérez
Supervisor, Field Work Team
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Raύl Ramirez Reyes
Computer Systems Programmer
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Gabriela Rivera Arredondo
Supervisor, Field Work Team
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Fernando Javier Rivas Reyes
Programmer
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Alberto Zarza Vela
PhD candidate
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

data access

We welcome requests from researchers who wish to access data from the Mexico City Prospective Study. Any bona fide academic researcher can now apply to access the baseline data, the linked cause-specific mortality data and the 10,000 participant resurvey data. Mexican-based researchers can also access NMR biomarker data for a subset of 40,000 participants.

New data available to researchers based in Mexico:

  • Genetic data are available for 9,950 whole genome sequenced, 141,046 exome sequenced and 140,831 genotyped participants. An online variant browser summarising the genetic variation is available at: https://rgc-mcps.regeneron.com. The genetic data will be shared by granting access to an online research analysis platform enabled by DNAnexus technology and powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), where researchers will be able to access both the genetic and non-genetic data and perform their analyses.  

If you are interested in obtaining any data from the study for research purposes or in collaborating with us on a specific research proposal, please read our Data and Sample Access Policy for full information including how to apply. 

Study data can be viewed in detail using our online Data Showcase. You can also email us at mcps-access@ndph.ox.ac.uk with any queries about data access. For queries about the study or to contact the investigators, email mcps@ndph.ox.ac.uk. To find out more about the Nuffield Department of Population Health’s approach to data access, please read its data access policy.

Previously approved projects 

How the University of Oxford uses your data

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Oxford Population Health team up with DNAnexus and AWS to improve access to Mexico City Prospective Study data.

Team in Oxford

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Funding

Medical Research Council

British Heart Foundation

Wellcome 

Mexican Ministry of Health

Mexican National Council of Science and Technology

Study oversight

The MCPS represents a longstanding collaboration between researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, who conceived and established the study, and the Nuffield Department of Population Health in Oxford, who provided support during its inception and have continued to enhance it over the years. This collaborative effort dates back to the 1990s, with both teams jointly responsible for managing and analysing the study's data.

Navigation

Selected publications

Related research themes

Prospective Studies
Prospective Studies
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