France launches health inquiry across the population
The study is starting with a trial and is set to be rolled out nationwide next year
The study will look at people’s health in relation to their food, environment, activity, and chemical exposure
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France has launched the first phase of a nationwide health inquiry, which is set to evaluate the population’s exposure to chemicals, and better understand the link between food, the environment, and health.
The study, dubbed the Albane enquiry, launched on Monday, September 16. It is a joint project between Santé publique France and Anses (government agency, l’Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail), and is funded by the Ministries of Ecological Transition, Health, Agriculture and Labour.
It is called Albane because it will focus on ALimentation, Biosurveillance, sAnté, Nutrition et Environnement (food, biosurveillance, health, nutrition, and environment).
What is the aim of the study?
The study is aiming to provide a better understanding of:
The frequency of certain illnesses such as diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, obesity, and high blood pressure, which are sometimes under-diagnosed
The level of environmental chemicals in our bodies, such as pesticides, bisphenols, plasticisers (phthalates) and perfluorinated compounds (PFAS)
The population's eating habits and level of physical activity, and their connection to the onset or prevention of certain chronic diseases
The analysis and conclusions from the results will be used to help inform public authorities about the measures they need to take to improve people's health, including via public policies and new regulations.
Read also: Potentially toxic ‘forever chemicals’ are poorly monitored in France
Phase one now underway
The first phase has now started in the Ile-de-France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions. 200 adults aged between 18 and 79 plus 200 children aged over two are taking part.
Those taking part are drawn at random from statistics database INSEE (Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques). Children aged under two living with adult participants may also take part.
Participants are asked to complete questionnaires, undergo a health examination and take biological samples. The trial will test the functioning of the questionnaire system, and see if any part of the process needs to be tweaked before the study is rolled out nationwide from May 2025.
Read also: France's new free health check scheme: Eligibility and benefits
How will the study work nationwide?
It is designed to be repeated in two-year cycles, on samples of over 3,000 people aged 0-79, representative of the population living in mainland France. (The overseas departments and regions will be examined at a future date.)
The different cycles will be compared in a bid to track the results of relevant public health policies. In this way the study will offer continuous monitoring of the population’s health.
Read also: France residents in better health than other countries, study shows
It is also one of the actions listed in the Stratégie nationale de biosurveillance (national biomonitoring strategy), which launched in early 2024. This aims to monitor the French population's exposure to chemical substances, and identify associated pathologies related to this exposure.
The study is also expected to generate comparable data with that from similar studies by other countries, including Germany, Canada and the United States. It is also part of the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013-2020.
