Add Health Wave VI: following people from adolescence into midlife
National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health): Wave VI Core Project
Collecting health, social, and biological information from adults aged 39–48 who were first enrolled as adolescents to learn how life experiences shape health in midlife.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11482729 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of the original Add Health group who were in grades 7–12 in 1994–95 and are now being re-contacted in their late 30s and 40s. Wave VI includes surveys about health, behavior, work and family, in‑home physical measurements, and collection of biological samples and genetic data. The project links participants to administrative records (like birth and death certificates) and uses prior waves of data to track long-term changes. Study findings and de‑identified data are shared with researchers to improve understanding of health and disparities across the population.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who took part in earlier Add Health waves—people born in the mid-1970s to early 1980s who are now about 39–48 years old.
Not a fit: People who were not part of the original Add Health cohort or who are outside the target age range cannot enroll and would not benefit directly from participating in Wave VI.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify midlife risk factors and guide prevention strategies for chronic diseases, including Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
How similar studies have performed: Other long-running cohort studies have successfully identified risk factors and life-course patterns for chronic disease, and Add Health’s adolescent-to-adult design offers a unique window on midlife health.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hummer, Robert a — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Hummer, Robert a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.