Metabolic Reference Measurements in Childhood and Adolescence

Summary

Our research aims to look at how the amount of energy you use (called energy
expenditure), heart rate, physical activity and movement behaviour is different
between young patients (age 6-25 years) with rare disorders compared to healthy
people (control participants). The comparison between healthy people and patients
is important in understanding the different levels of their disorder and its response
to a treatment.

Currently, in healthy young children (aged 6-16 years), information on heart rate
and physical activity behaviour is small in some age categories of boys and girls. In
adolescents and young adults (age 17-25 years) we have very little information on
energy expenditure which is important for understanding changes during growth. To
understand the normal range of energy expenditure, heart rate, movement and
physical activity the measurements need to be made in lots of children (6-16yrs)
and young adults (17-25 years).

We are asking younger people (200 participants aged 6 to 16 years) to wear a small device worn on their chest and a wrist-worn device for 2-3 days during their usual activities. These devices measure heart rate, physical activity and movement during the day and night.

We would like to ask older participants (200 participants 17-25 years) to stay overnight in the clinical research facility, to measure body fat, muscle and bone and how much energy is used at rest and during exercise. The older participants will also be invited to provide a blood sample to ensure that some measurements within the blood are within the normal range.

Most importantly the data from the measurements we make in healthy people is a
resource that is freely available to researchers. The data we get from the
measurements are given an ID number and not a name, this is called anonymising
data to keep it safe.

Participants aged 6-15 years will be recruited from the 'DNA, Children+ Young People's Health Resource' (D-CYPHR). Participants aged 16-25 years will be recruited from the 'General Population cohort at the NIHR BioResource' (link).