Why gestational diabetes risk varies among Asian American pregnant people
Elucidating the high and heterogeneous risk of gestational diabetes among Asian Americans: an integrative approach of metabolomics, lifestyles, and social determinants
This project looks at how metabolism, lifestyle, and social factors relate to gestational diabetes risk in Asian American pregnant people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11371346 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I am an Asian American person who is pregnant, researchers will use blood samples and health records from California pregnancy screening programs and a pregnancy cohort to measure many metabolites and compare patterns across Asian subgroups. They will combine those metabolic profiles with information about body fat distribution, diet, lifestyle, and social factors such as acculturation to see which combinations are linked with higher or lower gestational diabetes risk. The work uses stored biospecimens and existing data rather than asking for many new tests, and it focuses on why rates differ between Asian subpopulations. Findings aim to highlight biological and social contributors to risk that are often missed because Asian Americans are under‑represented in past studies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Asian American people who are pregnant, especially those in California or who have participated in California pregnancy screening or cohort programs early in pregnancy.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, not Asian American, or who live outside the study region likely would not directly benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help tailor screening, prevention, and early-care strategies for gestational diabetes in different Asian American groups.
How similar studies have performed: Metabolomics has previously identified metabolic signals linked to gestational diabetes, but few prior studies have focused on Asian American subgroups, so this approach is partly proven but novel for this population.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Liwei — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Chen, Liwei
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.