Epidemiologists use various study designs to investigate the relationship between nutrition and health. Cohort studies follow groups of people over time to assess how their diets influence their health outcomes. Case-control studies compare individuals with a specific health condition to those without, looking at their past dietary habits. Cross-sectional studies examine the dietary patterns and health status of a population at a single point in time. These studies often rely on dietary assessments, such as food frequency questionnaires, 24-hour dietary recalls, and food diaries.
