NCT01080378

Metabolic Effects of Birth Weight on Overweight and Obese Chinese Adults and Their Responses to Weight Loss

Developmental Pathways to Metabolic Diseases: To Investigate the Metabolic Effects of Birth Weight on Overweight and Obese Chinese Adults and Their Responses to Weight Loss Over 16 Weeks

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 180 (estimated)
• Sponsor: National University Hospital, Singapore · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 21 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The overall objective of this study is to investigate in depth the impact of birth weight on the nature of metabolic physiology, body composition and epigenetic differences of the different phenotypes of overweight and obese individuals who are otherwise overtly healthy. We also aim to determine the efficacy of a weight loss intervention on the above mentioned metabolic parameters in these individuals.

Detailed description

There is an exponential rise in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity in Singapore coincident with rapid nutritional and socioeconomic transition. Differing birth weights, even in the normal ranges, predisposes individuals to the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. We aim to examine the causal pathways, developmental contribution and effects of a weight loss intervention to this differential by evaluating the hypothesis that genomic, birth weight, developmental, lifestyle and environmental factors contribute to the variation in phenotype observed in adults with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Although there are many large studies that examined the effect of birth weight on the expression of obesity and the metabolic syndrome phenotype, most of these studies usually lack in-depth physiological and epigenetic/genomic studies due to their large sample sizes. We therefore aim to explore such detailed aspects of physiological and epigenetic/genomic profiles on smaller but statistically powered samples, focusing on evaluating body composition, nutritional and metabolic phenotype in relationship to epigenetic/genetic markers and developmental history. In addition, we examine the effects of a weight loss intervention on these parameters. This will assist in weighing the importance of developmental and genetic pathways in contributing to individual risk and the response and efficacy to an intervention.

Conditions

• Healthy
• Overweight
• Obesity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Dietary and Exercise Intervention	Participants will be enrolled into a 16 weeks weight loss programme that consists of (a) dietary interventions and (b) structured exercise sessions and (c) physical activity to achieve 7 - 10% decrease (more than 8 kg) in initial body weight in 16 weeks. They will be subjected to a caloric deficit of 40% of the subject's energy expenditure or 1000kcal, which ever it is higher. (allowance given for dietary control and physical activity).

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-04-01
• First posted: 2010-03-04
• Last updated: 2010-03-04

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Singapore