Nijmegen Exercise Study (NES)
The NES is a population-based cohort study, established in 2011 to study the relationship between lifestyle characteristics and the development and progression of chronic diseases. As of June 2025, the study had enrolled over 23,000 participants from across the Netherlands, with a mean age of 48.7 years. Participants were recruited through newsletters amongst individuals taking part in a number of Dutch sports events, such as the International Nijmegen Four Fays Marches and Seven Hills Run. The cohort is enriched with highly physically active individuals, with physical activity levels ranging from inactive to extremely active across the cohort. Participants are followed up with annual questionnaires.
Study design
Cohort
Number of participants at first data collection
23,643 (participants as of 2025)
Recruitment is ongoing
Age at first data collection
≥ 18 years (participants)
Participant year of birth
Varied (participants)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
No
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
2011
Primary Institutions
Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc)
Profile paper DOI
Funders
Dutch Heart Foundation (Hartstichting)
European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)
The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW)
VGZ
Ongoing?
Yes
Data types collected
- Activity log (e.g. food, sleep, exercise)
- Computer, paper or task testing (e.g. cognitive testing, theory of mind doll task, attention computer tasks)
- Physical or biological assessment (e.g. blood, saliva, gait, grip strength, anthropometry)
- Secondary data
- Wearable devices
- Self-completed questionnaire – online
- None
- None
- Healthcare data
- Mortality data
- Tax, income & benefit data
Engagement
Keywords
