Diabetes In Asians at Risk in Youth

NCT07452159 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: DIARY : CIRB 2025-0719Tanoto Foundation MRF
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 3,000
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This observational study aims to develop novel contemporary risk factor tools for detecting young onset diabetes (under 40y) in young Asians in Singapore. The investigators aim to recruit 3000 people not currently known to have diabetes, selected across age and Body Mass Index categories, and perform formal diagnostic tests for diabetes (oral glucose tolerance test and HbA1c). The participants will also undergo continuous glucose monitoring sensor, keep a food diary, and undergo body composition analysis using bioimpedance analysis, handgrip measurements for muscle strength, and sociobehavioural profiling through download of a curated list of social media interactions. The participants will also have a blood sample retrieved and stored for subsequent comparison between people with normal glucose versus abnormal glucose levels. The whole group will also have another blood sample stored for whole gene analysis.

Conditions

Young Onset Asian Diabetes (Under 40 Years)

Keywords

Young onset diabetes; Asian; Risk factors; contemporary

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Diagnosis of diabetes

  Fasting glucose \>/=7mmol/l or 2-hour glucose \>/=11.1 mmol/l on oral glucose tolerance test or HbA1c \>/=7%.

  Baseline

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Diagnosis of pre-diabetes

  Baseline

Study Arms (1)

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Not previously known to have diabetes

Diagnostic Test: Oral glucose tolerance test and HbA1c; Other: Anthropometric measurements; Diagnostic Test: Body impedance Analysis; Diagnostic Test: Handgrip measurement; Diagnostic Test: Continuous glucose monitoring; Other: Food diary recording over days 2 and 3 of continuous glucose monitoring; Other: Survey; Other: Skin reaction information; Other: Download of social media data; Diagnostic Test: Whole genome sequencing

Interventions

Anthropometric measurements OTHER

Body Mass Index, Waist-Hip ratio, Blood pressure

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Body impedance Analysis DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Body composition analysis

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Handgrip measurement DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Handgrip strength measured using Jamar Dynanometer

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Continuous glucose monitoring DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Use of Retrospective continuous glucose monitoring sensor (Freestyle Libre Pro IQ)

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Food diary recording over days 2 and 3 of continuous glucose monitoring OTHER

Including written food records and photographs for all food and drink intake

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Survey OTHER

Retrieval of sociodemographic details, family history of diabetes and comorbid conditions, information on dietary intake, physical activity levels, and health seeking behaviour. This includes average daily step count for 7/30 days.

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Skin reaction information OTHER

Form to feedback on any sensor skin reactions

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Download of social media data OTHER

This will involve a highly curated list of information to be retrieved from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to enable AI-led sociobehavioural profiling. This will not retrieve any information on posts, photos, likes, comments, reactions or any item that will express intent.

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Whole genome sequencing DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Whole blood sample will be retrieved and stored before being sent for whole genome sequencing at a later stage.

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Oral glucose tolerance test and HbA1c DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Following overnight fasting for 8 hours

Singaporeans of Asian ethnicity under 40 years

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years - 39 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Islandwide across Singapore

You may qualify if:

• Asian/Part Asian ethnicity living in Singapore, not known to have diabetes

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnancy women
• Non-Asian ethnicity
• On active cancer/steroid therapy
• Haemoglobinopathies or haemolytic anaemia
• Previous bariatric surgery
• Previous partial/total pancreatectomy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Singapore General Hospital: lead
• SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre: collaborator
• Duke-NUS Centre of Quantitative Medicine: collaborator
• Data Science and Artificial intelligence Laboratory, SGH: collaborator
• Translational Research and Innovation Lab, SingHealth: collaborator

Related Publications (6)

• Zahalka SJ, Galindo RJ, Shah VN, Low Wang CC. Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Prediabetes: What Are the Best Metrics? J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2024 Jul;18(4):835-846. doi: 10.1177/19322968241242487. Epub 2024 Apr 17.

  PMID: 38629784 BACKGROUND

• Deurenberg P, Deurenberg-Yap M, Guricci S. Asians are different from Caucasians and from each other in their body mass index/body fat per cent relationship. Obes Rev. 2002 Aug;3(3):141-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1467-789x.2002.00065.x.

  PMID: 12164465 BACKGROUND

• Kuang M, Lu S, Yang R, Chen H, Zhang S, Sheng G, Zou Y. Association of predicted fat mass and lean body mass with diabetes: a longitudinal cohort study in an Asian population. Front Nutr. 2023 May 9;10:1093438. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1093438. eCollection 2023.

  PMID: 37229472 BACKGROUND

• Yeung RO, Zhang Y, Luk A, Yang W, Sobrepena L, Yoon KH, Aravind SR, Sheu W, Nguyen TK, Ozaki R, Deerochanawong C, Tsang CC, Chan WB, Hong EG, Do TQ, Cheung Y, Brown N, Goh SY, Ma RC, Mukhopadhyay M, Ojha AK, Chakraborty S, Kong AP, Lau W, Jia W, Li W, Guo X, Bian R, Weng J, Ji L, Reyes-dela Rosa M, Toledo RM, Himathongkam T, Yoo SJ, Chow CC, Ho LL, Chuang LM, Tutino G, Tong PC, So WY, Wolthers T, Ko G, Lyubomirsky G, Chan JC. Metabolic profiles and treatment gaps in young-onset type 2 diabetes in Asia (the JADE programme): a cross-sectional study of a prospective cohort. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014 Dec;2(12):935-43. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70137-8. Epub 2014 Jul 28.

  PMID: 25081582 BACKGROUND

• Rama Chandran S, Sng GGR, Wong CYH, Ang WM, Gardner D. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics in Asians Without Diabetes: Differentiating Prediabetes From Normoglycemia. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2025 Oct 21:19322968251384682. doi: 10.1177/19322968251384682. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 41117210 BACKGROUND

• Tan JK, Salim NNM, Lim GH, Chia SY, Thumboo J, Bee YM. Trends in diabetes-related complications in Singapore, 2013-2020: A registry-based study. PLoS One. 2022 Oct 11;17(10):e0275920. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275920. eCollection 2022.

  PMID: 36219616 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• This is the study page which was created by the investigators to provide information to participants on the background, aims, and procedures of the study. They can also sign up and choose a data to participate in the study.

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITH DNA

Serum, EDTA whole blood.

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Glucose Tolerance Test; Continuous Glucose Monitoring; Surveys and Questionnaires

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Blood Chemical Analysis; Clinical Chemistry Tests; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Diagnostic Techniques, Endocrine; Investigative Techniques; Monitoring, Physiologic; Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• Daphne SL Gardner, BA, BMBCh(Oxon), MRCP (UK)

  Singapore Health

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Daphne SL Gardner, BA, BMBCh (Oxon), MRCP (UK)

CONTACT

+6563214654; daphne.gardner@singhealth.com.sg

Navreen Kaur

CONTACT

navreen.k.g.singh@singhealth.com.sg

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 1, 2025
• First Posted: March 5, 2026
• Study Start: March 18, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 2, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 2, 2029
• Last Updated: March 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share