Latest News
If we can better understand a South Asian woman’s social networks, we will design interventions that help her improve the health of her family with the support of her social networks.
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Happy New Year
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We now have 1012 mothers enrolled in the START study!
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The South Asian Birth Cohort Sub-study: Optimal Perinatal Health Behaviours from the Perspectives of Grandmothers- officially released by Canadian Institute of Health Research in the 'Video Talks' competition for 2016.
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Thankyou for participating!
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For details click on "Read More".
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Providing further understanding of the link between low birth weights and obesity later in life, researchers found nutritionally deprived newborns are "programmed" to eat more because they develop less neurons in the region of the brain that controls food intake
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Here are answers to some questions you may have for us.
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Home About The Study
South Asians have a high risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There is growing evidence that suggests risk factors for these conditions may be “programmed” early in life, i.e., in-utero and are influenced by maternal and fetal factors. To better understand the development of adiposity (‘fatness’)  and associated metabolic changes, we will be studying the genetic (related to heredity) and environmental (related to the place one lives in) risk factors of obesity, diabetes and heart disease among South Asian people. This study will compare birth cohorts from rural and urban India, as well as South Asians from Canada. We will recruit 1,000 South Asian pregnant mothers and their babies from 3 hospitals in the Peel Region and an additional 500 pregnant mothers and their babies from an urban and a rural centre in India. We will follow them prospectively for first 3 years of the child’s life.
Pregnant mothers will be recruited during the first antenatal visit (between 24-27 weeks) and will undergo a brief health assessment including completion of a questionnaire, physical measurements (i.e. weight, height, waist and hip circumference, and blood pressure), oral glucose tolerance test, and a blood sample. Additionally, at the time of delivery, cord blood sample, and baby’s physical measures will be collected. After delivery, the mother-baby dyad will be followed at regular intervals of time via telephone and/or email as well as an annual in person visit for 3 years.
You can participate if you are:
  • Of South Asian origin (both parents and all four grandparents originate from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka)
  • Between 18 and 40 years of age
  • Pregnant
  • Living in Canada for at least 1 year