Clinical Research Directory

Targeted Precision Nutrition Strategy To Prevent Chronic Metabolic Diseases

Nutrition is very important to keep blood sugar levels balanced. If blood sugar levels are too high, it can lead to diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Therefore, adjusting what one eats, also called a diet or nutritional intervention, can help prevent these diseases. However, not everyone responds the same to a diet. In about 30% of people, a diet does not work as hoped. This can be due to various reasons, such as a person's metabolism, genetic predisposition, the composition of the food one eats, or the bacteria in the intestines. Everyday things like sleep, stress, and movement also play a role. The investigators used a computer model to classify people with overweight and obesity into groups based on these factors. The investigators call such a group a 'Metabolic Phenotype', or in short 'Metabotype'. Based on the Metabotype, a personalised diet was developed (personalised nutrition intervention) that may better suit each person's unique situation. The investigators hypothesize that a precision nutrition intervention, tailored to Metabotypes identified through unsupervised clustering (using the aforementioned computer model) of predefined, accurate features related to cardiometabolic health-specifically, tissue-specific glucose and lipid metabolism and detailed body composition-will enhance blood glucose homeostasis, reduce cardiometabolic risk, and improve adherence to the intervention and mental well-being, compared to population-based dietary guidelines. The present project will contribute to targeted and efficient precision-based dietary strategies for individuals at increased risk of T2DM.

The GRoceries Aimed at Increasing Nutrition Study

Only 2% of Americans meet the recommended levels of whole grain consumption, despite its association with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. This study aims to assess if consumers with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes can be encouraged to switch from buying refined grain products to whole grain products when shopping for groceries online. The study will use personalized marketing strategies, with or without discounts which adjust based on purchasing behavior, to promote whole grain consumption.