Physiological, Environmental and Genetic Determinants of Heterogeneity in Singaporeans Healthspan

Global populations are rapidly aging, particularly in Asia, with Singapore featuring prominently, highlighting the need to enhance the healthspan and potential of the aging population. Our previous SG10K-Health study identified genetic and epigenetic markers of biological age acceleration in Singaporeans, revealing distinct trends across ethnicities and sex.

However, it lacked electronic health records and crucial phenotypic data needed to study healthspan variability and its link to these biological markers. The SG100K project provides a valuable resource with its extensive clinical and genetic data linked to EHR. Our goal is to study how physiological, environmental, and genetic factors influence the variability in physiological aging and healthspan of Singaporeans. We aim to understand how these factors contribute to intrinsic capacity (IC), reproductive aging, and aging-related conditions.

IC is a concept introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) that looks at a person’s physical and mental abilities, covering areas like cognitive skills, movement, mental health, and overall vitality. Our comprehensive approach identifies risk factors for poor health outcomes and reveals how genetic and environmental factors interact, providing insight into why some individuals age better. These insights highlight pathways for targeted interventions and inform public policies to promote healthy aging across the population.