Welcome to the HEAL (diet and physical activity) Study

ATP, along with other CanPath regional cohorts, is inviting participants to contribute to the biggest and most in-depth collection of Diet & Physical Activity data in the history of Alberta and Canada! 

Our partners at CanPath post regular updates on the overall study progress and items of interest on their HEAL information page so click through the link to see more. 

For information on how to troubleshoot the most common challenges when using the diet and activity tools – CLICK HERE.

Some common issues and tips/tricks

The tools work best on a desktop or laptop – please try to use one of these if possible.  iPads/tablets and iPhones/other phones can work but have tended to have more issues.

You can pause during the ASA24 and ACT24 and come back to complete it if it’s BEFORE 8AM THE NEXT DAY.  After that, it will close and you will have to start a new one.

Try to start each survey when you are confident you can complete it in one sitting.  It will probably take you 30-45 minutes for each survey the first time.

If the tool glitches or won’t respond – please know that this happens, and we know it is really frustrating.  But, it’s very likely that the data you already entered was saved, even if it may not look like it from your end.

The diet survey asks for a lot of details through a series of steps and questions.  It will probably feel like a lot the first time you go through it.  But it should get easier after the first time.

Even with all the details and options in the tools, you may not be able to find everything you want to report in the surveys.  We know this can feel frustrating.  Please just do your best.

Everything you are able to provide is valuable even if it is not perfect.

  • Missed one of the surveys? Don’t worry – we are asking you to do these a few times over the year, so you can wait for your next invitation. Or, reach out to us and we’ll figure out a solution together. 
  • One of the tools just really not working for you? That’s fine – focus on doing the other one. It all helps! 

If you are trying to complete one of your surveys and run into issues during business hours (Monday to Friday 8:30-4:00pm):

  • Call us at 1-877-919-9292. Calling us is the fastest and easiest way to reach us during business hours. 
  • Email us at tomorrow@cancercarealberta.ca. Please put into the subject line “Help now” which will help us know you are within the window for completing your survey so we can try to respond to you as soon as possible. 

On this page:

What is the purpose of the Diet and Physical Activity project (HEAL)?

This project aims to collect diet and activity data that can be used to support a wide range of research into cancer and chronic diseases. The project is supported in part by funding for a project called the HEALthy Eating and Supportive Environments (HEAL) study. The HEAL project aims to explore how diet and the neighbourhood food environment are linked and impacted by other factors such as neighbourhood walkability, physical activity, and individual factors. The diet and activity data we collect will be used by the HEAL project team to answer these questions and will also be available for other researchers to use to explore many other questions related to cancer and chronic disease.

Why is this important?

What we eat and drink and the activities we do day to day (e.g., work, travel, recreation, household duties) are important for health and wellness. Research shows that diet and physical activity have an impact on cancer and chronic disease risk but more detailed data is required to better understand this relationship.  Collecting accurate diet and activity data is complex, as our patterns can fluctuate day to day and throughout the year. For example, we can eat differently or move differently depending on what season it is, so a single data collection at one time point doesn’t give a complete picture of our usual habits. More detailed data will help us answer questions like – what dietary patterns or activities are best for cancer prevention vs. for cancer survivors?

In this project, we will ask you to complete both short-term (past 24-hour) surveys and long-term (past year) surveys at different times over the course of a year to build a better picture of your habits and patterns.

What to expect?

You will be asked to complete online surveys about what you eat and drink and your physical activities a few times over the next year:

  • First you will be asked to complete a survey (up to ~40 minutes), including questions about you (e.g., sex, household income), and some questions about what you typically eat and your physical activities.
  • Within the next 1-2 weeks, you will be asked to share what you ate and drank and your daily activities (including sleeping, household activities, and leisure activities) the previous day (i.e. recall what you did in the past 24 hours).
    • There are two separate online surveys – one for diet and one for daily activities.
    • The links to the online surveys will be available in your ATP Participant Portal.
    • The surveys will take about 20-40 minutes each to complete.
    • You will receive the invitation to complete both diet and activity surveys on the same day, but you don’t have to complete both in one sitting. They can be completed at the same time or at separate times.
  • You will be asked to complete these same surveys again about 1-2 weeks later.
  • About six months later, you will be asked to complete these diet and activity surveys again. You will receive the invitation for one set of diet and activity surveys, and then another one around 1-2 weeks later.
  • Finally, about five months later, you will be asked to complete different diet and activity surveys – these will be longer, and ask about your diet and activities over the past year.
    • Just like the other surveys, you will be provided with direct links to access the surveys in your ATP Participant Portal.
    • These surveys will take about 45-60 minutes each to complete.
    • You will receive the invitation to complete both diet and activity surveys on the same day, but you don’t have to complete both in one sitting. They can be completed at the same time or at separate times.
  • At the end of the study you will receive a personal summary report of the diet and activity information you provided.

Total time commitment: approximately six to seven hours over the course of the full year – this is about the same as watching four movies or four hockey games (or 1 Blue Jays-Dodgers playoff game). Your time spent here over a year will produce data that researchers can use for decades.

Last updated June 2026