ON-DEMAND WEBINAR
Metabolic Variation Reflects Dietary Intake in a Multi-ethnic Asian Population
The HELIOS cohort (short for Health for Life in Singapore or sometimes referred to as HELIOS Study) is a large-scale biomedical research project based in Singapore, aimed at understanding how genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors influence health and disease in Asian populations.
Abstract
Dietary biomarkers reflecting habitual diet are explored largely in European and American populations. However, the “food metabolome” is highly complex, with its composition varying by region and culture. Here, by assessing 1,055 plasma metabolites and 169 foods/beverages in 8,391 comprehensively phenotyped individuals from the multi-ethnic Asian HELIOS cohort (69% Chinese, 12% Malay, 19% South Asian), we report novel observations for ethnic-relevant and common foods. Using a machine-learning feature selection approach, we developed dietary multi-biomarker panels (3-39 metabolites each) for key foods and beverages in respective training sets. These panels comprised distinct and shared metabolite networks, and captured variances in intake prediction models in test sets better than single biomarkers. Composite metabolite scores, derived from the biomarker panels, associated significantly and more strongly with clinical phenotypes (HOMA-IR, type 2 diabetes, BMI, fat mass index, carotid intima-media thickness and hypertension), compared to self-reported intakes. Lastly, in 235 individuals that returned for a repeat visit (averaged 322 days apart), diet-metabolite relationships were robust over time, with predicted intakes, derived from biomarker panels and metabolite scores, showing better reproducibility than self-reported intakes. Altogether, our findings show new insights into multi-ethnic diet-related metabolic variations and a new opportunity to link exposure to health outcomes in Asian populations.
Author Publications List: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.12.04.23299350
Program
Guest Speakers
John Chambers, Ph.D.
Professor, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Professor Chambers is Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of PRECISE, the central entity established to implement Phase II of Singapore’s National Precision Medicine strategy. Prof Chambers is the lead investigator of the PRECISE-SG100K population cohort study, a multi-institutional effort that aims to study the genetic makeup of 100,000 healthy Singaporeans and specific disease cohorts. The genetic data will be integrated with detailed lifestyle, environmental, and clinical data to yield rich insights into factors that contribute to Asian diseases and conditions.
John is also Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology at LKCMedicine, where he leads research focused on identification of mechanisms underlying the high rate of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Asian populations, along with clinical translation to improve prevention and control of these major diseases. He has been closely involved in large-scale prospective population studies in Europe, South Asia and Singapore. His research has contributed to the discovery of novel genetic and epigenetic pathways associated with coronary heart disease, type-2 diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic disturbances implicating new molecular pathways underlying these diseases.
As Program Lead, he aims to inspire a new generation of researchers to become future leaders, who will build innovative research programs that build on the foundational SG100K resource, and the international partnerships established.
Dr Dorrain Yanwen Low
Doctor, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
The Health for Life in Singapore (HELIOS) Study: delivering Precision Medicine research for Asian populations: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.14.24307259
Metabolome-wide association identifies ferredoxin-1 (FDX1) as a determinant of cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular risk in Asian populations: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44161-025-00638-w
