Cohort Profile: The Dongfeng–Tongji cohort study of retired workers

China has seen rapid socio-economic and epidemiolo-gical changes over the past several decades. Economicgrowth plus shifts in environment, lifestyles and diethave increased life expectancy, but they have also ledto a higher burden of chronic, non-communicablediseases. Stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), cancerand diabetes account for 80% of the deaths and 70%of the disability-adjusted life-years lost in China.