The MEC consists of 215,251 men and women, and comprises mainly five self-reported racial/ethnic populations: European Americans, African Americans, Latinos, Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians [29]. Between 1993 and 1996, adults between 45 and 75 years old were enrolled by completing a 26-page, self-administered questionnaire asking detailed information about dietary habits, demographic factors, level of education, personal behaviors, and history of prior medical conditions (e.g. diabetes). Potential cohort members were identified through Department of Motor Vehicles drivers' license files, voter registration files and Health Care Financing Administration data files. In 2001, a short follow-up questionnaire was sent to update information on dietary habits, as well as to obtain information about new diagnoses of medical conditions since recruitment. Between 2003 and 2007, we re-administered a modified version of the baseline questionnaire. All questionnaires inquired about history of diabetes, without specification as to type (1 vs. 2). Between 1995 and 2004, blood specimens were collected from ∼67,000 MEC participants at which time a short questionnaire was administered to update certain exposures, and collect current information about medication use.
