Netherlands Twin Register
The objectives of this study are to facilitate longitudinal research on twins by creating a large national database, and to study the role of genes and environment and their interaction in individual variation in personality, lifestyle, and health, and the development of disease and psychopathology.
Overview
- Acronym
- NTR
- Investigators
-
- Contacts
-
General Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Start - End Year
- 1986 -
- General Information on Follow Up (profile, frequency)
-
Participants are assessed every 2 to 3 years.
- Recruitment Target
-
- Individuals
- Number of Participants
- 140,000
- Supplementary information about number of participants
-
Around 50% of the participants have provided data at more than one time point and 40% of the participants have provided more than twice (up to a maximum of 13 times).
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
|
Marker Paper
Ligthart L, Beijsterveldt CE, Kevenaar ST, et al. The Netherlands Twin Register: Longitudinal Research Based on Twin and Twin-Family Designs. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 22(6), 2019. 623-636.
Timeline
Populations
NTR - Young
This population is composed of Dutch newborn twins/multiples, their parents and their siblings.
Selection Criteria
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
-
- Netherlands
Sources of Recruitment
- General Population
-
- Volunteer enrolment
- Supplementary Information
-
Starting around 1986, parents are approached to register their newborn twins in the Young NTR (YNTR) with the help of a commercial ‘birth felicitation’ service. Additional recruitment of newborn twins and triplets and their parents is done through the website and with the support of the Dutch Society of Parents of Multiples. After parents return an informed consent form, the family is registered with the NTR.
Sample Size
- Number of Participants
- 80,146
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Data sources | Data sources - Biosamples | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | NTR - Young - Survey Newborn |
|
1986 | Ongoing | |
| 1 | NTR - Young - Survey Age 2 |
|
1988 | Ongoing | |
| 2 | NTR - Young - Survey Age 3 |
|
1989 | Ongoing | |
| 3 | NTR - Young - Survey Age 5 |
|
1991 | Ongoing | |
| 5 | NTR - Young - Survey Age 7 |
|
1993 | Ongoing | |
| 6 | NTR - Young - Teacher Report Age 7 |
|
2000 | Ongoing | |
| 7 | NTR - Young - Survey Age 9/10 |
|
1995 | Ongoing | |
| 8 | NTR - Young - Teacher Report Age 9/10 |
|
2000 | Ongoing | |
| 9 | NTR - Young - Survey Age 12 |
|
1998 | Ongoing | |
| 10 | NTR - Young - Teacher Report Age 12 |
|
1999 | Ongoing | |
| 11 | NTR - Young - Self-Report Age 14 |
|
2005 | 2013 | |
| 12 | NTR - Young - Self-Report Age 16 |
|
2005 | 2013 | |
| 13 | NTR - Young - Self-Report Age 18 |
|
2005 | 2007 |
NTR - Adult
This population is composed of the participants from the Young Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) cohort who are now adults. Additionnally, starting in 1991, other adolescent and young adult twins and multiples and their parents were approached to participate in the Adult NTR.
Selection Criteria
- Twins
- Countries
-
- Netherlands
Sources of Recruitment
- General Population
-
- Volunteer enrolment
- Supplementary Information
-
A nationwide appeal to city councils for permission to approach adolescent and young adult twins and multiples and their parents was successful and created the basis for the Adult NTR. Additional means of recruitment are the yearly NTR newsletter Twinfo, the NTR website and national events organized by, for example, the Dutch Twin Society.
Sample Size
- Number of Participants
- 93,465
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Data sources | Data sources - Biosamples | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | NTR - Adult - Baseline Survey at Registration |
|
2008 | Ongoing | |
| 1 | NTR - Adult - Survey 1 |
|
1991 | 1993 | |
| 2 | NTR - Adult - Survey 2 |
|
1993 | 1995 | |
| 3 | NTR - Adult - Survey 3 |
|
1995 | 1996 | |
| 4 | NTR - Adult - Survey 4 |
|
1997 | 1999 | |
| 5 | NTR - Adult - Survey 5 |
|
2000 | 2003 | |
| 6 | NTR - Adult - Survey 6 |
|
2002 | 2004 | |
| 7 | NTR - Adult - Survey 7 |
|
2004 | 2008 | |
| 8 | NTR - Adult - Twin Mothers Survey |
|
2005 | 2007 | |
| 9 | NTR - Adult - Survey 8 |
|
2009 | 2013 | |
| 10 | NTR - Adult - Survey 9 |
|
2011 | 2013 | |
| 11 | NTR - Adult - Survey 10 |
|
2012 | 2015 | |
| 12 | NTR - Adult - Survey 11 |
|
2014 | 2017 | |
| 13 | NTR - Adult - Survey 12 |
|
2015 | 2020 | |
| 14 | NTR - Adult - Survey 13 |
|
2017 | 2017 | |
| 15 | NTR - Adult - Survey 14 |
|
2019 | Ongoing | |
| 16 | NTR - Adult - COVID Survey |
|
2020 | 2020 |
Participating Studies
| Acronym | Name | Study design | Countries |
|---|
Harmonization Initiatives Included
| Acronym | Name |
|---|
Datasets
| Name | Data Collection Events | Variables |
|---|
Areas of Information Collected
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Death
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Physical measures and assessments
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Laboratory measures
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Diseases
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Symptoms and signs
- Preschool, school and work life
- Medication and supplements
- Social environment and relationships
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Physical environment
- Health and community care services utilization
- Administrative information
Variables Content Summary
Areas of Information Collected
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected
Areas of Information Collected per per Population and Data Collection Event
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected
Networks
| Acronym | Name | Harmonization Initiatives | Individual Studies |
|---|
Last Update: 2023-08-10T18:18:58.688