HEALTHY-FUTURE: Laboratory Test analysis for Future personalised care

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Improving health outcomes in young people living with obesity: Analysis of stool microbiome, urine steroid metabolomics and serum healthy ageing biomarkers in children and young people seen in the complications of excess weight service and their relationship with routinely collected biochemical, anthropometric and behavioural data.

• IRAS ID

  316722

• Contact name

  Emma Webb

• Contact email

  emma.webb@nnuh.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  3 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Childhood obesity is a global health crisis affecting 1.2 million children in England. It is well known that obesity leads to an increased risk of health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and malignancy. Obesity is associated with changes in cell function leading to accelerated ageing and inflammation, resulting in compromised health and decreased life span. Obesity costs the NHS £5bn annually, and this will increase without health interventions.
  
  NNUH hosts one of the recently commissioned NHS England complications of excess weight (CEW) clinics for children. Care is provided at multi-disciplinary level with dietary, exercise and psychological support, as well as medications to support weight loss. Unfortunately, the management of obesity in children is challenging, with low effectiveness overall and there is significant variability in outcomes between individuals. As part of clinical routine all young people seen in the CEW service have detailed medical history assessment which includes sleep, quality of life and behavioural questionnaires, comprehensive blood tests, a sleep study and urine tests. At the time of young peoples routine blood an urine tests we will ask them if they are happy for an extra blood sample to be taken, an aliquot of their urine sample to be stored and if they would consent to provide a stool sample. These stored samples will then be used to address several aligned research questions which aim to improve the care and outcomes of young people experiencing morbid obesity.
  

• REC name

  Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  25/YH/0211

• Date of REC Opinion

  11 Nov 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion