Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (GNHS)

Purpose: The Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (GNHS) project aims to assess the determinants of metabolic disease in nutritional aspects, as well as other environmental and genetic factors, and explore possible mechanisms with multi-omics integration. Study design: GNHS is a community-based prospective cohort study. Participants: In this cohort, the original GNHS and another cohort study (the controls of a case-control study of hip fractures, CCFH) have been integrated into the one GNHS project. After completing the baseline examination, a total of 5118 participants were recruited during 2008-2015 in the GNHS project. Visits and Data Collection: Participants were/will be visited every three years by invited to the School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University. At each visit, face-to-face interviews, specimen collection, anthropometric measurements, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning, ultrasonography evaluation, vascular endothelial function evaluation, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 14-d real-time continuous glucose monitoring tests, laboratory tests, and multi-omics data were/will be conducted. Up to December 2022, 3442 and 2895 subjects completed the 2nd and 3rd visits. Key variables: 1. Questionnaire interviews. 2. Physical examinations: Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure tests, handgrip strength, muscle function and bracelet motion monitoring. 3. DXA scanning: To determine bone density, bone mineral content, bone geometry information, fat mass, and muscle mass. 4. Ultrasonography evaluations: To determine carotid artery intima-media thickness and plaque, and fatty liver. 5. Vascular endothelial function evaluation. 6. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing: Lung function. 7. MRI: Brain and upper-abdomen MRI. 8. 14-d Real-time continuous glucose monitoring tests. 9. Specimen collections: Overnight fasting blood, early morning first-void urine, faces, and saliva samples. 10. Laboratory tests: Metabolic syndrome-related indices; Diabetes-related indices; Uric acid; Nutritional indices; Inflammatory cytokines; Index of oxidative stress; Adipocytes; Sexual hormones; Liver and renal function-related markers; Routine blood test. 11. Multi-omics data: Genotyping data; Gut microbiota; Untargeted serum and fecal proteomics; Targeted serum and fecal metabolomics. 12. Morbidity and mortality: Relevant data were/will be also retrieved via local multiple health information systems.

Sex

All

Minimum age

40 Years

Maximum age

83 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age: 40-80 years (the original GNHS) and 40-85 years (CCFH) at baseline;
* Living in Guangzhou for at least five years;
* Chinese.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Had a history of hospital-confirmed diabetes, failure(s) of heart, liver, or kidney, cancer, cardiovascular events, metabolic bone diseases, glucocorticoid use (over 3 mo.) or sexual hormone use (over 6 mo.), spine or hip fractures;

On special diet due to a disease or weight control;

* Mental and physical disability;
* Likely to move to other city within 5 years;
* Did not want to attend any one item of the survey or sample collection.

• DERIVEDChen J, Yan Y, Miao Z, Zhang K, Xiao C, Liang X, Xu F, Gou W, Fu Y, Zhong H, Chen YM, Zheng JS. Circulating Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Glycemic Dynamics Assessed by Continuous Glucose Monitoring: A 13-Year Prospective Cohort Study. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2025 May;69(10):e70056. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.70056. Epub 2025 Apr 7. PMID 40190054
• DERIVEDLi Z, Huang BX, Huang ZH, Li MC, Chen YM, Zhu HL. Exploring the link between serum betaine levels and hyperuricemia risk in middle-aged and older adults: insights from a prospective cohort study. Eur J Nutr. 2025 Feb 1;64(2):77. doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03594-0. PMID 39891737
• DERIVEDXie K, Xiao C, Lin L, Li F, Hu W, Yang Y, Chen D, Miao Z, Sun TY, Yan Y, Zheng JS, Chen YM. Erythrocyte Very Long-Chain Saturated Fatty Acids, Gut Microbiota-Bile Acid Axis, and Incident Coronary Artery Disease in Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study. J Nutr. 2024 Oct;154(10):3019-3030. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.08.005. Epub 2024 Aug 10. PMID 39128547
• DERIVEDChen S, Chen XY, Huang ZH, Fang AP, Li SY, Huang RZ, Chen YM, Huang BX, Zhu HL. Correlation between serum trimethylamine-N-oxide and body fat distribution in middle-aged and older adults: a prospective cohort study. Nutr J. 2024 Jul 9;23(1):70. doi: 10.1186/s12937-024-00974-w. PMID 38982486
• DERIVEDChen S, Lin X, Ma J, Li M, Chen Y, Fang AP, Zhu HL. Dietary protein intake and changes in muscle mass measurements in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults: A prospective cohort study. Clin Nutr. 2023 Dec;42(12):2503-2511. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2023.10.017. Epub 2023 Oct 22. PMID 37922694
• DERIVEDWu YY, Gou W, Yan Y, Liu CY, Yang Y, Chen D, Xie K, Jiang Z, Fu Y, Zhu HL, Zheng JS, Chen YM. Gut microbiota and acylcarnitine metabolites connect the beneficial association between equol and adiposity in adults: a prospective cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Dec 19;116(6):1831-1841. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac252.