Dr. Stefan Rach

• Data collection In the context of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in the State of Bremen
• WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in the State of Bremen

Selected BIPS-Publications

• Articles with peer review

• Jaehn P, Rach S, Bolte G, Mikolajczyk R, Merz S, Herrera-Espejel PS, Brand T, Führer A, Berger K, Teismann H, Bohn B, Koch-Gallenkamp L, Brenner H, Klett-Tammen C, Castell S, Ebert N, Emmel C, Schmidt B, Gastell S, Schulze MB, Obi N, Harth V, Holleczek B, Jaskulski S, Katzke V, Kaaks R, Willich SN, Keil T, Weber A, Leitzmann M, Wirkner K, Meinke-Franze C, Schipf S, Schikowski T, Schneider A, Slesinski SC, Moreno Velásquez I, Pischon T, Holmberg C. What can we learn from an intersectionality-informed description of study participants? Results from the German National Cohort. International Journal for Equity in Health. 2025;151:24.
  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02521-3
• Rach S, Sand M, Reineke A, Becher H, Greiser KH, Wolf K, Wirkner K, Schmidt CO, Schipf S, Jöckel K-H, Krist L, Ahrens W, Brenner H, Castell S, Gastell S, Harth V, Holleczek B, Ittermann T, Janisch-Fabian S, Karch A, Keil T, Klett-Tammen C, Kluttig A, Kuß O, Leitzmann M, Lieb W, Meinke-Franze C, Michels KB, Mikolajczyk R, Moreno Velásquez I, Obi N, Övermöhle C, Peters A, Pischon T, Rospleszcz S, Schmidt B, Schulze MB, Stang A, Teismann H, Töpfer C, Wolff R, Günther K. The baseline examinations of the German National Cohort (NAKO): Recruitment protocol, response, and weighting. European Journal of Epidemiology. 2025;40(4):479-485.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-025-01219-8
• van Meer F, van der Laan LN, Eiben G, Lissner L, Wolters M, Rach S, Herrmann M, Erhard P, Molnár D, Orsi G, Adan R, Smeets P, on behalf of the I.Family consortium. Age and body mass index are associated with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation in response to unhealthy food cues. Appetite. 2025;213:108138.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108138
• Wolf K, Dallavalle M, Niedermayer F, Bolte G, Lakes T, Schikowski T, Greiser KH, Schwettmann L, Westermann R, Nikolaou N, Staab J, Wolff R, Stübs G, Rach S, Schneider A, Peters A, Hoffmann B. Environmental exposure assessment in the German National Cohort (NAKO). Environmental Research. 2025;273:121259.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.121259
• Doerwald F, Stalling I, Reck C, Busse H, Shrestha R, Rach S, Bammann K. A rapid review of digital approaches for the participatory development of health-related interventions. Frontiers in Public Health. 2024;12:1461422.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1461422
• NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). General and abdominal adiposity and hypertension in eight world regions: A pooled analysis of 837 population-based studies with 7.5 million participants. The Lancet. 2024;404(10455):851-863.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01405-3
• NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: A pooled analysis of 3663 population representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults. The Lancet. 2024;403(10431):1027-1050.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02750-2
• Curnow E, Carpenter JR, Heron JE, Cornish RP, Rach S, Didelez V, Langeheine M, Tilling K. Multiple imputation of missing data under missing at random: Compatible imputation models are not sufficient to avoid bias if they are mis-specified. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2023;160:100-109.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2023.06.011
• Herrera-Espejel PS, Rach S. The use of machine translation for outreach and health communication in epidemiology and public health: Scoping review. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. 2023;9:e50814.
  https://doi.org/10.2196/50814
• Kleineidam L, Stark M, Riedel-Heller SG, Pabst A, Schmiedek F, Streit F, Rietschel M, Klinger-König J, Grabe HJ, Erhardt A, Gelbrich G, Schmidt B, NAKO Investigators, Berger K, Wagner M. The assessment of cognitive function in the German National Cohort (NAKO) - Associations of demographics and psychiatric symptoms with cognitive test performance. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry. 2023;24(10):909-923.
  https://doi.org/10.1080/15622975.2021.2011408
• Merz S, Jaehn P, Pischon T, Fischer B, Wirkner K, Rach S, Günther K, Obi N, Holmberg C, on behalf of the AdvanceGender Study Group. Investigating people's attitudes towards participating in longitudinal health research: An intersectionality-informed perspective. International Journal for Equity in Health. 2023;22:23.
  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-022-01807-0
• NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development. Nature. 2023;615(7954):874-883.
  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05772-8
• Rach S, Kühne L, Zeeb H, Ahrens W, Haug U, Pohlabeln H. Mild COVID-19 infection associated with post-COVID-19 condition after 3 months – A questionnaire survey. Annals of Medicine. 2023;55(1):2226907.
  https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2023.2226907
• Schmiedek F, Kroehne U, Goldhammer F, Prindle JJ, Lindenberger U, Klinger-König J, Grabe HJ, Riedel-Heller SG, Pabst A, Streit F, Zillich L, Kleineidam L, Wagner M, Rietschel M, Rujescu D, Schmidt B, NAKO Investigators, Berger K. General cognitive ability assessment in the German National Cohort (NAKO) - The block-adaptive number series task. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry. 2023;24(10):924-935.
  https://doi.org/10.1080/15622975.2021.2011407
• Kuß O, Becher H, Wienke A, Ittermann T, Ostrzinski S, Schipf S, Schmidt CO, Leitzmann M, Pischon T, Krist L, Roll S, Sand M, Pohlabeln H, Rach S, Jöckel K-H, Stang A, Müller U, Werdecker A, Westerman R, Greiser KH, Michels KB. Statistical analysis in the German National Cohort (NAKO) - Specific aspects and general recommendations. European Journal of Epidemiology. 2022;37(4):429-436.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-022-00880-7
• Wolters M, von der Haar A, Baalmann A-K, Wellbrock M, Heise T, Rach S. Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in the prevention and treatment of depressive disorders - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2021;13:1070.
  https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041070
• Rach S, Günther K, Hadeler B. Participants who were difficult to recruit at baseline are less likely to complete a follow-up questionnaire - Results from the German National Cohort. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2020;20:187.
  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-020-01073-0
• Schipf S, Schöne G, Schmidt B, Günther K, Stübs G, Greiser KH, Bamberg F, Meinke-Franze C, Becher H, Berger K, Brenner H, Castell S, Damms-Machado A, Fischer B, Franzke C-W, Fricke J, Gastell S, Günther M, Hoffmann W, Holleczek B, Jaeschke L, Jagodzinski A, Jöckel K-H, Kaaks R, Kauczor H-U, Kemmling Y, Kluttig A, Krist L, Kurth B-M, Kuß O, Legath N, Leitzmann M, Lieb W, Linseisen J, Löffler M, Michels K, Mikolajczyk R, Pigeot I, Mueller U, Peters A, Rach S, Schikowski T, Schulze MB, Stallmann C, Stang A, Swart E, Waniek S, Wirkner K, Völzke H, Pischon T, Ahrens W. Die Basiserhebung der NAKO Gesundheitsstudie: Teilnahme an den Untersuchungsmodulen, Qualitätssicherung und Nutzung von Sekundärdaten. Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz. 2020;63(3):254-266.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-020-03093-z
• Thumann B, Börnhorst C, Ahrens W, Arvidsson L, Gwozdz W, Iguacel I, Mårild S, Molnár D, Rach S, Russo P, Tornaritis M, Veidebaum T, De Henauw S, Michels N, on behalf of the IDEFICS and I.Family consortia. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between psychosocial well-being and cardiometabolic markers in European children and adolescents. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2020;82(8):764-773.
  https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000845
  https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl%3A6424560
• Langeheine M, Pohlabeln H, Ahrens W, Günther K, Rach S. Study invitations with envelopes made from recycled paper do not increase likelihood of active responses or study participation in the German National Cohort. BMC Research Notes. 2019;12:468.
  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-019-4510-y
• Samkange-Zeeb F, Foraita R, Rach S, Brand T. Feasibility of using respondent-driven sampling to recruit participants in superdiverse neighbourhoods for a general health survey. International Journal of Public Health. 2019;64(3):451-459.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1191-6
  https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl%3A6416487
• Steenbock B, Buck C, Zeeb H, Rach S, Pischke CR. Impact of the intervention program "JolinchenKids - Fit and Healthy in Daycare" on energy balance related-behaviors: Results of a cluster controlled trial. BMC Pediatrics. 2019;19:432.
  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-019-1817-8
• van Meer F, van der Laan LN, Eiben G, Lissner L, Wolters M, Rach S, Herrmann M, Erhard P, Molnár D, Orsi G, Viergever MA, Adan R, Smeets P, on behalf of the I.Family consortium. Development and body mass inversely affect children's brain activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during food choice. NeuroImage. 2019;201:116016.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116016
• Langeheine M, Pohlabeln H, Lauria F, Veidebaum T, Tornaritis M, Molnár D, Eiben G, De Henauw S, Moreno LA, Williams G, Ahrens W, Rach S. Attrition in the European child cohort IDEFICS/I.Family: Exploring associations between attrition and body mass index. Frontiers in Pediatrics. 2018;6:212.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2018.00212
• Langeheine M, Pohlabeln H, Ahrens W, Rach S, on behalf of the IDEFICS consortium. Consequences of an extended recruitment on participation in the follow-up of a child study: Results from the German IDEFICS cohort. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology. 2017;31(1):76-86.
  https://doi.org/10.1111/ppe.12328
  https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl:6438622
• Pohlabeln H, Rach S, De Henauw S, Eiben G, Gwozdz W, Hadjigeorgiou C, Molnár D, Moreno LA, Russo P, Veidebaum T, Pigeot I, on behalf of the IDEFICS consortium. Further evidence for the role of pregnancy-induced hypertension and other early life influences in the development of ADHD: Results from the IDEFICS study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2017;26(8):957-967.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-017-0966-2
  https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl%3A6423305
• Schierholz I, Finke M, Kral A, Büchner A, Rach S, Lenarz T, Dengler R, Sandmann P. Auditory and audio-visual processing in patients with cochlear, auditory brainstem, and auditory midbrain implants: An EEG study. Human Brain Mapping. 2017;38(4):2206-2225.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.23515
• Steenbock B, Zeeb H, Rach S, Pohlabeln H, Pischke CR. Design and methods for a cluster-controlled trial conducted at sixty-eight daycare facilities evaluating the impact of "JolinchenKids - Fit and Healthy in Daycare", a program for health promotion in 3- to 6-year-old children. BMC Public Health. 2017;18:6.
  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4551-x
• Hauthal N, Debener S, Rach S, Sandmann P, Thorne JD. Visuo-tactile interactions in the congenitally deaf: A behavioral and event-related potential study. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. 2015;8:98.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2014.00098
• Schierholz I, Finke M, Schulte S, Hauthal N, Kantzke C, Rach S, Büchner A, Dengler R, Sandmann P. Enhanced audio-visual interactions in the auditory cortex of elderly cochlear-implant users. Hearing Research. 2015;328:133-147.
  https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.heares.2015.08.009
• Strüber D, Rach S, Neuling T, Herrmann CS. On the possible role of stimulation duration for after-effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 2015;9:311.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2015.00311
• Helfrich RF, Knepper H, Nolte G, Strüber D, Rach S, Herrmann CS, Schneider TR, Engel AK. Selective modulation of interhemispheric functional connectivity by HD-tACS shapes perception. PLoS Biology. 2014;12(12):e1002031.
  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002031
• Helfrich RF, Schneider TR, Rach S, Trautmann-Lengsfeld SA, Engel AF, Herrmann CS. Entrainment of brain oscillations by transcranial alternating current stimulation. 2014.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.12.041
• Herrmann CS, Rach S, Vosskuhl J, Strüber D. Time-frequency analysis of event-related potentials: A brief tutorial. 2014.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-013-0327-5
• Rach S, Huster RJ. In search of causal mechanisms underlying bistable perception. 2014.
  https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4811-13.2014
• Strüber D, Rach S, Trautmann-Lengsfeld SA, Engel AK, Herrmann CS. Antiphasic 40 Hz oscillatory current stimulation affects bistable motion perception. 2014.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-013-0294-x
• Herrmann CS, Rach S, Neuling T, Strüber D. Transcranial alternating current stimulation: A review of the underlying mechanisms and modulation of cognitive processes. 2013.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00279
• Neuling T, Rach S, Herrmann CS. Orchestrating neuronal networks: Sustained after-effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation depend upon brain states. 2013.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00161
• Neuling T, Rach S, Wagner S, Wolters C, Herrmann CS. Good vibrations: Oscillatory phase shapes perception. 2012.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.07.024
• Naue N, Rach S, Strüber D, Huster RJ, Zaehle T, Körner U, Herrmann CS. Auditory event-related response in visual cortex modulates subsequent visual responses in humans. 2011.
  https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1076-11.2011
• Naue N, Strüber D, Fründ I, Schadow J, Lenz D, Rach S, Körner U, Herrmann CS. Gamma in motion: Pattern reversal elicits stronger gamma-band responses than motion. 2011.
  dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.11.053
• Rach S, Diederich A, Colonius H. On quantifying multisensory interaction effects in reaction time and detection rate. 2011.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-010-0289-0
• Rach S, Diederich A, Steenken R, Colonius H. The race model inequality for censored reaction time distributions. 2010.
  https://doi.org/10.3758/APP.72.3.839
• Zaehle T, Rach S, Herrmann CS. Transcranial alternating current stimulation enhances individual alpha activity in human EEG. 2010.
  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0013766
• Steenken R, Colonius H, Diederich A, Rach S. Visual-auditory interaction in saccadic reaction time: Effects of auditory masker level. 2008.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2007.08.034
• Rach S, Diederich A. Visual-tactile integration: Does stimulus duration influence the relative amount of response enhancement. 2006.
  http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00221-006-0452-4

• Book chapters

• Reineke A, Pigeot I, Ahrens W, Rach S. MODYS - A modular control and documentation system for epidemiological studies. Cham. 2019.

• Further Publications