Collection of stool samples during follow-up

The gut microbiome is believed to play a significant role in the development of chronic diseases. Stool samples were therefore collected from approximately 100,000 participants during the initial NAKO examination. Since a single sample collection does not allow for intra-individual changes in the gut microbiome over time to be taken into account, stool samples are also being collected at various locations of the German National Cohort (NAKO) as part of the second examination. To this end, participants who already submitted a stool sample during the initial examination are asked to bring another stool sample with them to the examination appointment.