Diary: S'pore's War On Diabetes & Obesity Starts From The Womb

By Massita Ahmad SINGAPORE, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Meet three-month old Jasper Ting, the first Singapore baby born under a novel clinical study to help the republic fight chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. And Singapore's fight starts right from the womb, where mothers optimise their nutritional health even before pregnancy in ensuring the well-being of their future child's health. The baby boy was born at the National University Hospital (NUH) on July 6, 2016 in a study being carried out across three centres - Singapore, Auckland in New Zealand and Southampton in the United Kingdom. The study will provide valuable information into the long-term effects of a woman's diet on her child. The study's outcome is seen crucial looking at the fact Singapore has the second-highest prevalence rate of diabetes among developed nations, as pointed out by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in 2015. The Nutritional Intervention Preconception and during Pregnancy (NiPPeR) study investigates how a specially-formulated nutritional supplement taken before and during pregnancy could improve the health of the baby in the first year of life and beyond. According to Jasper's mother Wong Xue Yun, 29, "I believe the greatest gift I can give my children is to raise them up healthily. "I hope my participation in this NiPPeR study can help future mothers avoid gestational diabetes and lower the risk of their children becoming obese." There is increasing evidence that the mother's nutritional state as she enters pregnancy is important for the baby’s development and life-long health. For example, if the mother has high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, it can predispose the baby to having increased body fat and diabetes in later life. About 15 to 20 percent of Singaporean women in their twenties and thirties have been diagnosed with a pre-diabetic condition, otherwise known as impaired glucose tolerance. Not only does this put them at risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, they are also at significant risk of gestational diabetes with attendant consequences on the long-term health of their babies. The study, beginning before conception, provides all participating women with a nutrient drink containing vitamins and mineral supplements already recommended for pregnancy. Half the women also get additional supplements like probiotics as part of the trial. The study aims to evaluate the benefits of the nutrient mixes for the mother and baby. Follow ups are done at regular milestones for the duration of the pregnancy and during the baby's first year. Through this intervention, researchers are studying the effects on maintaining healthy levels of blood sugar, vitamins and minerals in the mother, and the potential to promote a healthy pregnancy and development of the child. In addition, the study will generate a rich 'biobank' of blood, urine, hair and other biological samples throughout the trial to answer important questions on how to provide babies with the best start to life. Associate Professor Chong Yap Seng, Principal Investigator of the study in Singapore and Executive Director at the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) of the Agency for Science, Research and Technology (A*STAR) said: "Through this novel study, we can glean new insights into the long-term effects of pre-conception nutrition on the health of future offspring." "This has significant potential to change the way we manage prenatal care and nutrition. Greater awareness has the potential to improve public health in the long run." Associate Professor Chong is also a faculty member with the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine as well as Senior Consultant with the NUH under the National University Health System (NUHS). Meanwhile, Associate Professor Chan Shiao-Yng, another leading investigator on this study and a Consultant at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at NUH and Adjunct Investigator at A*STAR's Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) said : "It is truly an exciting prospect if this innovative supplement taken by women could improve glucose metabolism in pregnancy and lead to the 'programming' of better metabolic health in the next generation. "It could significantly lessen the rising trend of diabetes in our nation." The study has enrolled over 400 women in Singapore and more than 1,000 internationally. -- BERNAMA