NCT00249314

(Mol-SHARE) Molecular Study of Health Assessment and Risk in Ethnic Groups

A Prospective, Cross-Sectional, Case-Control, Molecular Study of Health Assessment and Risk in Ethnic Groups

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 120 (planned)
• Sponsor: Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to directly compare the body composition, body fat distribution, and morphological and functional features of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle between South Asians and European Caucasians.

Detailed description

Excess body fat, the hallmark of obesity is a major risk factor for the development of insulin resistance (decreased insulin sensitivity), type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have shown that South Asians (people who originate from the Indian subcontinent) appear particularly prone to develop diabetes and heart disease compared to white Caucasians of European origin. In Canada, in the Study of Health Assessment and Risk in Ethnic groups (SHARE), it was observed that in a random selection of South Asian and European individuals, South Asians had twice as much type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and were significantly more insulin resistant than Europeans despite a similar body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. It is possible that the increased propensity of South Asians to develop insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease is related to greater total body fat and/or increased visceral fat in addition to the possible biological differences in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle tissues. The primary objective of this study is therefore to determine differences among age, sex, and BMI-matched people of South Asian and European Caucasian descent in body composition (specifically total body fat, lean body mass) and fat distribution (where the fat is stored in the body). This study will therefore test the hypothesis that for a similar BMI, South Asians have more total body fat and less lean body mass than age and sex-matched European Caucasians. The secondary objectives of this study are to look at the differences in the two ethnic groups at a biological level, including: differences in visceral fat, adipose tissue morphology, imflammation and adipokine production, skeletal muscle fat content, fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial activity.

Conditions

• Insulin Resistance
• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
• Cardiovascular Diseases

Timeline

• Start date: 2005-11-01
• Completion: 2007-12-01
• First posted: 2005-11-07
• Last updated: 2007-04-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada